Gyeongnam Police and Public Officials Union: "Establishing the Police Bureau is Police Control, Stop the Reckless Actions!"

The executive committee of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency Workplace Council and the Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters of the National Public Officials Labor Union held a press conference urging opposition to the government's establishment of the Police Bureau. / Photo by Ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Se-ryeong] As the government ordinance amendment to establish a Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety was passed at the Cabinet meeting on the 26th, the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency Workplace Council strongly criticized it.

On the morning of the same day, the chairpersons of 24 workplace councils of the Gyeongnam Police Agency and the Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters of the Korean Government Employees' Union gathered in front of the Gyeongnam Police Agency entrance to hold a press conference.

The chairpersons stated, "The government's push to establish the Police Bureau is a relic of the dictatorship era," adding, "It reminds us of the Security Headquarters that disappeared 31 years ago."

They continued, "All police workplace councils nationwide demanded the halt of the Police Bureau establishment, and a unified voice was raised at the National Senior Superintendent Meeting held on the 23rd."

They criticized, "During the meeting, the government ordered its dissolution and placed Ryu Sam-young, the chief of Ulsan Jungbu Police Station who led the meeting, on standby transfer," and added, "They also threatened to conduct disciplinary inspections on the 56 attendees."

They also said, "It is police intimidation to talk about criminal punishment, saying it reminds of a coup d'?tat, just because they held a meeting while taking personal leave without carrying firearms."

The gathered group urged ▲ the cessation of disciplinary actions and inspections against attendees of the Senior Superintendent Meeting ▲ the halt of the Police Bureau establishment, emphasizing that if the Police Bureau is established, they will form a 'Pan-Provincial Countermeasure Committee' led by the government employees' union to block it.

The press conference was organized by the Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters of the Korean Government Employees' Union, adding, "It is deplorable that we cannot help but worry that participating in this event will affect our personal lives and families."

The 'Partial Amendment Ordinance on the Organization of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Its Affiliated Agencies,' approved at the Cabinet meeting on the morning of the 26th, underwent a legislative notice period from the 16th to the 19th.

Following the Vice Ministerial meeting on the 21st and the Cabinet meeting on the 26th, it is scheduled to be promulgated and enforced on the 2nd of next month.

The amendment includes establishing a Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and increasing necessary personnel by 13, including one Police Superintendent General, one Senior Superintendent, one Senior Superintendent or Grade 4 officer, four Police Inspectors, one Police Superintendent, four Police Inspectors, and one Grade 3 or 4 officer or Senior Superintendent.

The government stated that the Police Bureau is being established so that the Minister of the Interior and Safety can more systematically perform legal affairs related to the National Police Agency and the National Police Commission.

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