Yoon on Controversy Over Reversal of Police Superintendent Appointment: "An Absurd Matter... A Disruption of National Order"

"An Error Unforgivable for a Civil Servant" Criticism

Regarding the Establishment of the Police Bureau in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety
"The Prosecutors' Office, Which Should Be More Neutral, Also Has a Prosecutors' Bureau Under the Ministry of Justice"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol strongly criticized the controversy over the reversal of the police chief superintendent personnel appointment on the 23rd, calling it a "serious breach of national discipline or a mistake that cannot be made by a public official."

On the morning of the same day, President Yoon, speaking to reporters on his way to the Yongsan Presidential Office, said, "The chief superintendent appointment was announced twice. Did you receive any related reports?" He added, "I saw an article saying the chief superintendent appointment was reversed, so I looked into what happened, and it was truly absurd."

President Yoon reiterated his criticism, saying, "The appointment was leaked before the president’s approval, and before the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reviewed it and gave their opinion to the president. Moreover, the media reported it as if the appointment was reversed. This itself can be seen as a very serious breach of national discipline or a mistake that cannot be made by a public official."

He drew a clear line, stating, "The police simply assigned the personnel that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety internally recommended, so it was not originally a reversal of the appointment."

President Yoon added, "From my perspective, this absurd situation was reported by the media as if the chief superintendent appointment was reversed, but it was never reversed. I approved it as it was reviewed and submitted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety."

On the 21st, the police announced a personnel plan for 28 chief superintendents, equivalent to the rank of police commissioner, but two hours later, they announced a revised plan with changes to the assignments of seven individuals.

As reporters continued to inquire about the unprecedented controversy over the reversal, the National Police Agency initially explained it as a mistake by the staff, then corrected themselves by saying the Ministry of the Interior and Safety had sent a different final plan. In response, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min expressed discomfort, saying, "The National Police Agency strangely announced the personnel plan before the president’s approval."

Regarding concerns that the establishment of the Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety could undermine the independence of police investigations, President Yoon countered, "The prosecutor organization, which requires even stronger neutrality and independence than the police, also has a Prosecutor Bureau well established within the Ministry of Justice."

He also emphasized, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which is responsible for public safety and police affairs within the cabinet, will exercise necessary command and control over the police. Matters requiring independence or neutrality will, of course, be conducted according to the Constitution, laws, and principles."

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