Ministry of the Interior Controls Police... National Police Chief: "Neutrality and Independence Must Be Guaranteed" (Comprehensive)

President's Office Maintains Ban on Gatherings
Recent Police Superintendent Appointments Follow Legal Regulations
Legislation to Prevent Repeat Drunk Driving Offenses Underway

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

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Sung-pil] Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, said on the 30th that regarding the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's proposal to control the police, whose investigative authority has increased due to the so-called 'Geomsu Wanbak' law passage, "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." It is known that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety recently formed an advisory committee on police system improvement and is 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 claims that checks and controls over the police are necessary following the passage of the Geomsu Wanbak law, and I understand that a committee has been formed to discuss the overall issues."

However, Commissioner Kim added, "While checks and balances are an important principle, 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 afterward to prevent abuse of authority. Commissioner Kim emphasized, "As far as I know, the police are the only government agency where a commission system has been introduced to command and supervise an external agency," adding, "That much, 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 personnel, 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 said, "Currently, it is still at the discussion stage, and even if the 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 where the plan is not yet concrete."

Commissioner Kim also stated regarding assemblies within a 100-meter radius of the Yongsan Presidential Office, "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 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 yet proceeded. It is expected to take about eight months until the main lawsuit results are announced.

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

On the recent appointments for promotion to Police Superintendent General, Commissioner Kim said, "I think it is inappropriate to comment as the process is ongoing," but added, "It is being carried out according to the provisions of the law." Previously, on the 24th, the National Police Agency promoted five individuals to Police Superintendent General: Kim Kwang-ho, Chief of Ulsan Police Agency; Yoon Hee-geun, Director of the Police Security Bureau; Woo Cheol-moon, Investigation Planning Coordinator of the National Investigation Headquarters; Park Ji-young, Chief of Jeonnam Police Agency; and Song Jeong-ae, Director of Police Personnel Planning. The National Police Agency plans to conduct personnel transfers after consulting with the city and provincial autonomous police committees. When asked about the timing of follow-up personnel changes, Commissioner Kim said, "I think it will not deviate significantly from usual personnel policies."

Meanwhile, regarding the Constitutional Court's repeated rulings that the Road Traffic Act (known as the 'Yoon Chang-ho Act'), which imposes heavier penalties on repeated drunk driving or refusal to undergo alcohol testing, is unconstitutional, Commissioner Kim added, "From the enforcement perspective, I think the degree of charges will be reflected to some extent during sentencing." He also revealed that a legislative amendment is underway to require the installation of anti-lock devices to prevent drunk driving when a person with a prior drunk driving record drives again.

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