"Situation Comparable to the 12·12 Coup" - "Resign Candidate Yoon Hee-geun" Extreme Confrontation

Ryu Sam-yeong Leading Chief Meeting Placed on Standby
Lee Sang-min "Order Violation Extremely Inappropriate"
Inspection of Meeting Attendees to Proceed

Police Union Begins Relay Solo Protests
Public Awareness Campaign at Seoul Station and Others
Nationwide Field Team Leaders Meeting Scheduled for 30th

[Asia Economy reporters Seongpil Jo, Byeongdon Yoo, Byungseon Gong] The conflict between the government and the police over the controversy surrounding government control of the police is escalating following the suspension of Chief Superintendent Ryu Sam-yeong. The backlash from frontline police officers, initiated by the Chief Superintendent, is spreading downward to lower ranks such as inspectors and sergeants, as well as branching out to the Police Workplace Council (Jikhyup) and the Police Union. Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min has maintained a hardline stance, even mentioning the ‘Hanahoe 12.12 Coup’ during a nationwide police chiefs meeting, resulting in an extreme confrontation.

On the 25th at 11 a.m., Jikhyup began a relay one-person protest in front of the National Police Agency in Migeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, opposing Chief Superintendent Ryu’s suspension. This one-person protest is scheduled to continue until the 29th, with Kang Hak-seon, chairman of the Jikhyup at Cheongju Cheongwon Police Station in Chungbuk, leading the first shift. Following Kang, Joo Dong-hee, chairman of the Jikhyup at Yangsan Police Station in Gyeongnam, and Kim Yeon-sik, an inspector at the Gyeongnam Police Agency, will take turns until 6 p.m. Jikhyup is also conducting a large-scale publicity campaign at Seoul Station and other locations to block the establishment of the Police Bureau under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, scheduled for the 2nd of next month. On the same day, Lee Jong-ha, chairman of the Jikhyup at Ulsan Jungbu Police Station, also held a one-person protest supporting Chief Superintendent Ryu. Ulsan Jungbu Police Station was where Chief Superintendent Ryu served as chief before his suspension. Lee held a placard that read, “Ulsan Police support you (Chief Superintendent Ryu)” during the protest.

The National Public Officials Labor Union Police Agency Branch and the Police Agency Staff Labor Union issued a joint statement the previous day, saying, “The suspension of Chief Superintendent Ryu is proof that the Minister of the Interior and Safety should not have personnel authority,” and demanded, “The cancellation of Chief Superintendent Ryu’s suspension and the immediate halt of disciplinary investigations against the chief superintendents who attended the meeting.” The two unions decided to continue their public awareness campaign until the suspension of Chief Superintendent Ryu and the investigation of the attending chief superintendents are stopped, and until the Ministry of the Interior and Safety withdraws the establishment of the Police Bureau and the enactment of command regulations. On the same day, the two unions launched a publicity campaign against the establishment of the Police Bureau at Osong Station. They plan to conduct public awareness campaigns at major KTX stations and terminals until the 29th.

Police workplace council officials are distributing promotional materials opposing the establishment of the Police Bureau to citizens at Seoul Station on the 25th. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

On the police internal network (Polnet), strong criticism was directed at Yoon Hee-geun, the candidate for Commissioner of the National Police Agency, who ordered the suspension. The comments were overwhelmingly critical, including statements such as “You have already lost your qualification as our father” and “We demand your resignation.” There was also a candid post saying, “Candidate Yoon Hee-geun, stake your position and become the guardian of the police’s political neutrality.”

Mid-level and junior officers such as inspectors and sergeants also announced plans to hold meetings. Sergeant Kim Seong-jong of Gwangjin Police Station in Seoul posted on the police internal network the previous day that a nationwide field team leaders’ meeting would be held at the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, Chungnam, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the 30th. Referring to Chief Superintendent Ryu’s suspension, Sergeant Kim said, “If we lose excellent commanders who act rightly by sacrificing themselves, we will become political regime lackeys under commanders blinded by self-interest.” This post received nearly 200 supportive comments.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min said on his way to work in the morning, “(The nationwide police chiefs meeting) was directly violated despite the acting Commissioner of the National Police Agency issuing a dissolution order,” adding, “This is almost equivalent to the Hanahoe 12.12 coup in the military and is extremely inappropriate.” The National Police Agency is also reportedly pushing ahead with disciplinary measures such as investigations against Chief Superintendent Ryu and the meeting attendees. Candidate Yoon stated at a written press conference held the same day, “Appropriate measures will be taken based on the results of the upcoming investigation.”

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