Police Superintendent Personnel Reversal Crisis... 7 Position Corrections Within 2 Hours

Confusion Within Police Despite Explanation of 'Simple Mistake'

On the 21st, the Advisory Committee on Police System Improvement of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced recommendations for police control measures, including the establishment of a police bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] On the 21st, the government carried out personnel appointments for police security officers at the level of city and provincial police chiefs. However, an unprecedented situation occurred where the assignments of seven appointees were reversed just over two hours after the announcement. Within the police force, confusion continued as the personnel changes, which were carried out so urgently that even police farewell ceremonies could not be held, were reversed within just a few hours.

At around 7:14 PM that day, the government announced personnel appointments for 28 police security officers, but at 9:30 PM, about two hours later, it issued a revised list with changes for seven individuals. The reversed assignments involved: Kim Jun-cheol, Gwangju Police Chief (from Seoul Police Public Safety Deputy Chief → National Police Agency Life Safety Bureau Chief); Jeong Yong-geun, Chungbuk Police Chief (from Central Police Academy Chief → National Police Agency Traffic Bureau Chief); Choi Joo-won, National Police Agency Science Investigation Manager of the National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Headquarters (from National Police Agency Cyber Investigation Bureau Chief → National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Planning Coordinator); Yoon Seung-young, Chungnam Police Autonomous Police Division Chief (from National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Planning Coordinator → National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Bureau Chief); Lee Myung-kyo, Seoul Police Autonomous Police Deputy Chief (not on the initial list → Central Police Academy Chief); Kim Soo-young, Bundang Police Station Chief of Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency (from National Police Agency Life Safety Bureau Chief → Seoul Police Public Safety Deputy Chief); and Kim Hak-kwan, National Police Agency Planning Coordinator (from National Police Agency Traffic Bureau Chief → Seoul Police Autonomous Police Deputy Chief).

The National Police Agency initially explained, "During the consultation process, there were several versions of the personnel list, and a staff member uploaded an intermediate version instead of the final one, later discovering the error."

Later, the explanation was reversed again, stating, "We posted the list on the internal network after being notified by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety that it was the final version, but after some time, the Ministry informed us that another version was the final one. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety also sent the wrong version."

Meanwhile, through this personnel reshuffle, Lee Hyung-se, former Jeonbuk Police Chief, was appointed as National Police Agency Foreign Affairs Bureau Chief, and Song Byung-il, Seoul Police Public Safety Deputy Chief, was appointed as Police Human Resources Development Institute Director.

Kim Nam-hyun, Gyeonggi Bukbu Police Chief, will move to Daegu Police Chief; Im Yong-hwan, National Police Agency Foreign Affairs Bureau Chief, to Gwangju Police Chief; Park Sung-joo, National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Bureau Chief, to Ulsan Police Chief; and Lee Moon-soo, National Police Agency Public Safety Information Bureau Chief, to Gyeonggi Bukbu Police Chief.

Kim Gyo-tae, National Police Agency Life Safety Bureau Chief, was appointed Chungbuk Police Chief; Kim Gap-sik, Seoul Police Investigation Deputy Chief, Chungnam Police Chief; Kang Hwang-soo, National Police Agency Security Investigation Bureau Chief, Jeonbuk Police Chief; Lee Choong-ho, Central Police Academy Chief, Jeonnam Police Chief; Choi Jong-moon, Gangwon Police Chief, Gyeongbuk Police Chief; Kim Byung-soo, Daegu Police Chief, Gyeongnam Police Chief; and Lee Sang-ryul, Gyeongnam Police Chief, Jeju Police Chief.

A total of 10 officers were promoted from Police Superintendent to Police Security Officer and had their assignments changed.

Among those whose promotion assignments were reversed are Choi Joo-won, National Police Agency Science Investigation Manager of the National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Headquarters; Yoon Seung-young, Chungnam Police Autonomous Police Division Chief; and Kim Soo-young, Bundang Police Station Chief of Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency. Additionally, Kim Jun-young, Police University Faculty Chief, was appointed National Police Agency Planning Coordinator; Lee Ho-young, National Police Agency Informatization Equipment Policy Officer, was appointed National Police Agency Police Personnel Planning Officer; Hong Ki-hyun, Seoul Police Mobile Unit Chief, was appointed National Police Agency Security Bureau Chief; and Jo Ji-ho, National Police Agency Security Situation Manager, was appointed National Police Agency Public Safety Information Bureau Chief.

Kim Hee-jung, Gangwon Police Autonomous Police Division Chief, was appointed National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Bureau Chief; Kim Soon-ho, Suwon Nambu Police Station Chief of Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency, was appointed National Police Agency Security Investigation Bureau Chief; and Kim Hak-kwan, National Police Agency Planning Coordinator, was promoted and appointed Seoul Police Autonomous Police Deputy Chief.

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