Despite Objections... Police Officers Intensify Opposition to the Establishment of the Police Bureau

Ministry of the Interior to Announce System Improvement Plan Tomorrow
Police Union Holds Press Conference Again Today Following Yesterday
Candidate Yoon Hee-geun Requests Restraint
Conflict with Frontline Police Expected to Deepen

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Seongpil Jo and Byungseon Gong] On the eve of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's announcement of police system improvement measures, frontline police officers' opposition is intensifying.

The National Police Workplace Council (Jikhyup) held a press conference on the morning of the 14th in front of Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, urging the withdrawal of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's plan to establish a Police Bureau. Seogang Oh, representative of the Jikhyup at the Muan Police Station in Jeonnam, said, "The establishment of the Police Bureau seriously undermines the independence and neutrality of the police and will lead to the political subordination of the police to power," adding, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety's push to establish the Police Bureau, which damages police neutrality, must be immediately withdrawn."

The Jikhyup also held a press conference the previous day in front of Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu. Four members of the Jikhyup executive committee conducted a 'Samboilbae' protest, walking back and forth about 100 meters from the entrance of Jogyesa Temple to the nearby sidewalk. Min Gwan-gi, president of the Jikhyup at the Chungju Heungdeok Police Station in Chungbuk, who had been on a hunger strike since the 5th, showed signs of health deterioration and was transported to a hospital.

It is known that the final police system improvement plan is likely to include the establishment of the Police Bureau. Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min's position has not changed. He previously described the Jikhyup's collective opposition as a "political act." Even the day before, during a visit to the Daegu Police Agency, he said, "The establishment of the Police Bureau has almost no impact on the current police organization."

As the Jikhyup's opposition intensifies, conflicts between the command and frontline police officers are expected to deepen. On the police internal network, posts appeared urging not to suppress the Jikhyup's opposition directed at candidate Yoon and the police command. In a letter released on the 11th, candidate Yoon stated, "Expressions of opinion or collective actions perceived by the public as excessive are unlikely to gain public sympathy." Despite candidate Yoon's request for restraint, frontline police officers engaged in a relay of comment deletions as a form of protest against the letter.

At a meeting held at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, when Jikhyup executives and staff asked Police Bureau Director Lee Hyung-se questions related to the establishment of the Police Bureau, all 70 attendees left the room after he avoided the questions. The Jikhyup is closely monitoring the final police system improvement plan from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and insists that if the Police Bureau is established, candidate Yoon should resign.

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