The National Police Agency Sent Official Letters to Each Provincial Police Agency Ordering 'Obedience to Commands' and 'Prohibition of Collective Actions'

Yoon Hee-geun, Candidate for Commissioner of the National Police Agency Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] The National Police Agency reportedly sent an official letter on the 25th to each provincial police agency, instructing obedience to superiors' official orders and prohibiting collective actions. This is interpreted as a warning message to discourage the planned nationwide field team leaders' meeting by police officers at the rank of inspector and superintendent, following the nationwide police chiefs' meeting.

In the official letter sent on the afternoon of the same day to the administrative departments and the audit and human rights officers of the provincial police agencies, the National Police Agency stated, "Due to the serious public concern over the establishment of police service discipline, we instruct compliance with service regulations," and added, "Heads of each bureau and department at headquarters, provincial police chiefs, and affiliated institutions are requested to thoroughly manage their personnel to prevent any violations of service regulations." The letter included the attached service regulation compliance guidelines.

The specified service regulation compliance guidelines, based on the National Public Officials Act, prohibit ▲disobedience to superiors' official instructions and orders ▲collective actions ▲negligence in duty ▲conduct that damages dignity by criticizing colleagues through internal networks or media interviews. The National Police Agency also elaborated on specific prohibited acts through examples. For instance, "continuing gatherings despite urging restraint and ordering disbandment considering public concern," and "openly denying or criticizing a superior's legitimate official instructions or orders through media interviews," among others.

Ryu Sam-yeong, former Chief Superintendent of Ulsan Jungbu Police Station, was placed on standby on the 23rd after leading a nationwide police chiefs' meeting opposing the establishment of the Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Following this disciplinary news, Kim Seong-jong, Inspector of Seoul Gwangjin Police Station, posted on the police internal network on the 24th, announcing a nationwide field team leaders' meeting to be held on the 30th at the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, Chungnam. This has caused severe internal turmoil within the police, with proposals emerging for precinct and substation chiefs, who are on the front lines of public safety, to also participate in the nationwide team leaders' meeting.

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