'Opposition to Police Bureau' at Nationwide Police Chiefs Meeting... Ruling Party "Hard to Tolerate" Opposition Party "To Protect Citizens' Daily Lives"

People Power Party's Lee Cheol-gyu "No Collective Action"
Democratic Party's Park Yong-jin "Attempt to Privatize Power Agencies"

Dark clouds hang over the Seoul Seodaemun-gu Police Agency building on the 15th, ahead of the announcement of the "Police System Improvement Plan," which includes the establishment of the Police Bureau, a police work organization, and the enactment of command rules by the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety over the Commissioner of the National Police Agency. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The ruling and opposition parties clashed over the nationwide police chiefs' meeting held in opposition to the establishment of the Police Bureau under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS). The People Power Party criticized, "Collective action is unacceptable," while the Democratic Party sharpened their stance, demanding, "Stop the attempt to establish the Police Bureau immediately."

Park Hyung-soo, the floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary on the 23rd, "The government must respond sternly to the unprecedented collective action by police chiefs," and pointed out, "We cannot help but be concerned about the nationwide police chiefs' meeting held for the first time in history. It was forced through amid growing public worries due to the global economic crisis, the resurgence of COVID-19, and strikes, despite the police leadership urging restraint and ordering the meeting to be disbanded."

Park added, "The independence of police investigations and political neutrality must naturally be guaranteed, and the establishment of the Police Bureau has nothing to do with the neutrality of investigations. Yet, the police chiefs distorted the government's policy intent by engaging in collective action, which is highly inappropriate," and expressed regret that "the chiefs disobeyed even higher authorities' orders to engage in collective action against the new government's administration based on law and principles." He further stated, "The government must thoroughly review whether the participants violated police service regulations and respond strictly."

Lee Cheol-gyu, a People Power Party lawmaker and former police officer, appealed on Facebook, "I urge junior police officers: under no circumstances should collective action be taken," arguing, "The police, along with the military, wield force and, like the prosecution, enforce the law. If they ignore the legal system and engage in collective action, the public will not tolerate it."

On the other hand, Oh Young-hwan, the Democratic Party floor spokesperson, said in a written briefing, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration's attempt to control the police led to the unprecedented nationwide police chiefs' meeting," adding, "There is only one reason: to oppose the establishment of the Police Bureau and to convey the intention to protect the daily lives of the people, looking only to the citizens, not power."

Oh criticized, "Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and Police Commissioner nominee Yoon Hee-geun dismissed the public's concerns and the police's legitimate protests as threats and intimidation," and said, "This is an attempt to create a police force loyal to power, not serving the people." He continued, "The reason for the police's existence is to protect the daily lives of the people, not to be servants of power," and demanded, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration must take the people's warning seriously and immediately stop the attempt to establish the Police Bureau."

Park Yong-jin, a Democratic Party lawmaker and presidential candidate, wrote on Facebook, "The establishment of the Police Bureau under the MOIS is an attempt to privatize a power institution that goes against the spirit of the Constitution," and criticized, "President Yoon Seok-yeol's true intention was revealed when he said that Chun Doo-hwan 'did well politically except for the coup and the May 18 incident.'"

The day before, a "nationwide police chiefs' meeting" was held at the Police Talent Development Institute in Asan, Chungnam, targeting senior superintendents. This was the first time senior superintendents convened a general meeting on a specific topic, and the attendees openly criticized the establishment of the Police Bureau as a "historic regression."

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