Kim Chang-ryong "Resignation Is the Best Decision"... Burden Regardless of Who Becomes Next Police Chief (Comprehensive)

Reprimanded for 'National Flag Misconduct' and Resigns Voluntarily with One Month Left in Term
Woo Cheol-moon, Kim Kwang-ho, Yoon Hee-geun Mentioned
Unexpected Candidate Possible
Must Start Bearing Internal and External Challenges Including Ministry of Interior Control and Internal Opposition

Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, is arriving at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 27th. After arriving at work that day, Commissioner Kim expressed his intention to resign.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Sung-pil] Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, tendered his resignation on the 27th, just over a month before the end of his term. This came four days after President Yoon Seok-yeol reprimanded him, mentioning a "disruption of national order" in relation to the controversy over the reversal of the police superintendent general personnel appointments.

On the morning of the same day, after submitting his resignation, Kim held a press conference around noon at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, stating, "After deeply reflecting on the roles and responsibilities given to me as the Commissioner General, I have concluded that resigning at this point is the best decision." He expressed regret, saying, "I am sorry for not being able to derive the best solution from the public's perspective regarding the discussions of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Police System Improvement Advisory Committee," and added, "I also extend my deep gratitude to my police colleagues who have shown sincere passion about 'the direction of the police for the people,' along with my regret and apologies for not fully meeting those aspirations until the end."

Kim's resignation on this day is interpreted as a comprehensive response to the backlash against the government's police control measures, the intensified internal calls for leadership responsibility, and President Yoon's reprimand over the reversal of the police superintendent general personnel appointments. On the 16th, ahead of the announcement of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Police System Improvement Advisory Committee's recommendations, Kim posted a letter on the internal network stating, "The neutrality and independence of the police are immutable values," and declared, "I will not cling to my position."

The immediate background for the resignation was the personnel reversal incident that occurred on the 21st. On the afternoon of the day the advisory committee's recommendations were announced, the police announced the appointments of superintendent generals but reversed them about two hours later. Seven positions were changed during this process. The police explained at the time that it was a "mistake due to poor communication with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Presidential Office," but the controversy escalated after it was revealed that the announcement was made before presidential approval. In response, President Yoon said on the 23rd, "This is a very serious disruption of national order," and called it "an absurd mistake that a public official should never make." When asked on the 24th whether this implied pressure for the police chief to resign, President Yoon replied, "Well, there is only about a month left in the (police chief's) term, so does that matter?" This was interpreted as meaning "It doesn't matter whether he steps down or stays." It was also read as implying that the role of the police chief is not crucial at this point.

Woo Cheol-moon, Chief of Busan Police Agency - Kim Kwang-ho, Chief of Seoul Police Agency - Yoon Hee-geun, Deputy Commissioner of National Police Agency. / Provided by National Police Agency

With Kim's resignation, the appointment process for the next Commissioner General is expected to proceed quickly. Currently, Woo Cheol-moon, Commissioner General of Busan Police Agency, Kim Kwang-ho, Commissioner General of Seoul Police Agency, and Yoon Hee-geun, Deputy Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, are being strongly mentioned as candidates. Earlier this month, during the appointment of superintendent generals, it was widely expected that Deputy Commissioner Yoon would directly succeed as the next commissioner general to maintain continuity, but recently Commissioner Woo and Commissioner Kim have rapidly risen, creating a three-way race. The possibility of an unexpected candidate being appointed cannot be ruled out. According to the Police Organization Act, the Commissioner General (Chief Superintendent General) must be selected from among the seven superintendent generals. It is known that the police have submitted personnel data for the six superintendent generals, excluding the term-based head of the National Investigation Headquarters, to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The deputy commissioner general, commissioners of Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Gyeonggi Nambu, and the head of the Korean National Police University are all superintendent generals appointed last month under the current administration.

The new Commissioner General is expected to begin their term amid a challenging internal and external environment. They will need to stabilize the unsettled internal atmosphere following Kim's resignation and devise countermeasures against the intensified police control measures by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. However, the consensus inside and outside the police is that the situation will not be easy. In particular, it is analyzed that the justification for resisting the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's police control efforts has weakened due to the recent reversal of the superintendent general personnel appointments. A police official who requested anonymity said, "The reversal of the superintendent general appointments ultimately gave the Ministry of the Interior and Safety the grounds to say 'there are accidents when the police are left in charge,'" adding, "It highlighted the necessity of police control."

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