Lee Jae-myung, Controversy over 'MOIS Police Control': "Regressive Attempt to Seize Police Authority"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Lee Jae-myung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the controversy over the 'establishment of a Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety' as a "regressive attempt to control the police."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 24th, Lee said on Facebook, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety's control over the police is a deterioration that reverses the progress of history."

Lee stated, "You cannot discuss democracy in the Republic of Korea without mentioning the history of police independence from political power," referring to the past era of the Ministry of Home Affairs' Security Headquarters.

He said, "(During the Ministry of Home Affairs' Security Headquarters era) the police operated as an organization that tortured and oppressed democratic figures and protected the regime. The April 19 Democratic Revolution was resistance against the police dictatorship of Syngman Rhee," adding, "To prevent repeating the same tragedy, the Security Headquarters under the Ministry of Home Affairs became independent as the National Police Agency in 1991."

He continued, "Under the current Government Organization Act, there is no 'public safety affairs' under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Interior and Safety. The intention is to make police administration independent and assign it to the National Police Agency and the National Police Commission," and said, "The measure, which violates the law, was abruptly handled by revising the enforcement decree without discussion with the National Assembly."

Lee opposed the establishment of the Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and referred to the suspension of Ryu Sam-young, Chief Superintendent of Ulsan Jungbu Police Station, who led the open nationwide police chiefs' meeting, saying, "Stop the suspension order that lowers the morale of police officers working hard in the field of public safety," and emphasized, "Please discuss police reform measures from scratch with various stakeholders, including the police and the National Assembly."

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