Police Control by Ministry of the Interior?… National Police Agency Chief Says "Neutrality and Independence Must Be Guaranteed"

Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong of the National Police Agency / Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Sung-pil] On the 30th, Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, responded to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's proposal to control the police, whose investigative authority has increased due to the passage of the so-called 'Geomsu Wanbak' law, by saying, "I believe that balanced discussions will take place while respecting the spirit of the 1991 revision of the Police Agency Act."

At a press briefing held at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Commissioner Kim stated, "The system and organizational structure introduced to guarantee the neutrality and independence of the National Police Agency reflect the spirit of the 1991 revision of the Police Agency Act." The Ministry of the Interior and Safety recently formed an advisory committee on police system improvement and is reportedly considering measures such as granting the Minister of the Interior and Safety authority over 'public security' and establishing a Police Bureau as an organization to execute this, thereby exercising command and supervision over the police. Commissioner Kim said, "There have been continuous calls for checks and controls over the police following the passage of the Geomsu Wanbak law, and I understand that a committee has been formed to discuss these issues comprehensively."

However, Commissioner Kim added, "While checks and balances are one of the important principles, it is also crucial to ensure operations align with the purpose and intent of the institution's establishment." The National Police Agency was established in 1991 as an independent external agency separate from the Internal Security Headquarters of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Police Commission system was introduced thereafter to prevent abuse of power. Commissioner Kim emphasized, "As far as I know, the police are the only external agency within government ministries that have introduced a commission system for command and supervision," adding, "This underscores that police authority must be exercised independently and neutrally."

Regarding criticisms that the members of the advisory committee on police system improvement are biased toward pro-prosecutor figures, Commissioner Kim said, "The police are also participating in the discussions and plan to actively express their opinions by topic." Concerning concerns about confusion at the field level if the Ministry of the Interior and Safety strengthens control, he stated, "Discussions are currently at the stage of deliberation, and even if a plan is finalized, various necessary measures such as amendments to related laws must follow for implementation," adding, "It is not appropriate to comment at this stage as the plan has not been concretized."

Commissioner Kim also addressed gatherings within a 100-meter radius of the Yongsan Presidential Office, stating, "We will maintain the policy of prohibiting assemblies until the main judgment is delivered," and added, "We have contracted with a law firm and will respond appropriately according to the court's hearing schedule." According to the police, six related lawsuits are currently underway, all of which have received injunctions from the court, and the main cases have not proceeded. It is expected to take about eight months for the main lawsuit results to be announced.

Regarding ongoing complaints from citizens in the Yongsan area about assemblies, Commissioner Kim said, "We will minimize citizen inconvenience through close cooperation and efforts to understand and persuade by communicating in advance with the executive bodies and dialogue police for each individual assembly unit," and added, "Especially concerning noise, we plan to respond thoroughly to ensure strict management within the scope permitted by current laws."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.