On the 2nd, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety launches the 'Police Bureau'... Kim Sunho, Director of the National Police Agency, appointed as the first Police Bureau Chief

Despite Police Opposition, Police Bureau Established as Scheduled... Moves into Government Seoul Office
Police Bureau Chiefs Assigned from Non-Police University, Police University, Ministry of the Interior, etc.
Rules on Command by Affiliated Chiefs Also Enacted and Implemented
Lee Sang-min "Expanding Sympathy through Broad Communication"

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is attending the government questioning session on education, society, and culture held at the National Assembly on the 27th, responding to lawmakers' questions. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Police Bureau, which has faced ongoing opposition within the police force, will be newly established within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 2nd. The first Police Bureau Chief has been appointed as Director Kim Soon-ho, who is currently serving as the Director of the Security Investigation Division at the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Headquarters.

On the 1st, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that the Police Bureau will officially launch following the passage of the Ministry’s organizational amendment bill, which includes the establishment of the Police Bureau, at the Cabinet meeting on July 26 and its promulgation and enforcement on the 2nd.

The Ministry explained that the establishment of the Police Bureau signifies a move away from the unofficial police control methods used by previous administrations, normalizing police-related state administration by establishing a rule-of-law system based on the Constitution and laws. Going forward, the Police Bureau will support the Minister of the Interior and Safety in fulfilling responsibilities and exercising authority, such as the recommendation authority for appointing police officers at the rank of Superintendent General and above, as specifically stipulated in individual laws like the Police Act and the Police Officers Act.

The Police Bureau will consist of three divisions?General Support Division, Personnel Support Division, and Autonomous Police Support Division?with a total of 16 staff members. Director Kim Soon-ho was named as the inaugural Police Bureau Chief. Both the heads of the Personnel Support Division and the Autonomous Police Support Division are former police officers, while the head of the General Support Division is a Ministry of the Interior and Safety official. Among the 16 employees, 12 are former police officers, and in the Personnel Support Division, all members including frontline staff are former police officers. The Ministry plans to assign additional police personnel in the future based on work demands, aiming for over 80% of the staff to be composed of former police officers.

To facilitate close communication and cooperation with the National Police Agency, the Police Bureau will be located in the Government Seoul Office Building, which is geographically close to the National Police Agency.

Additionally, along with the establishment of the Police Bureau, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will enact and enforce the “Regulations on the Command of Affiliated Agency Heads by the Minister of the Interior and Safety” on the same day. The Ministry intends to build smooth collaborative relationships with affiliated agencies and effectively promote police and fire policies.

According to the newly established command regulations, the Minister must give prior approval when basic plans requiring the enactment or amendment of laws are formulated at the National Police Agency and the National Fire Agency, and must receive prior reports on agenda items submitted to the Cabinet meeting. The Ministry explained that this is intended to enhance the Minister’s accountability as a Cabinet member and support the smooth execution of the Minister’s duties.

In response, Minister Lee Sang-min emphasized, “To resolve various concerns raised during the discussion process, the Police Bureau and I will expand mutual understanding through broad communication, and we promise to provide maximum support so that police officers can maintain their pride and focus solely on protecting the safety and human rights of the people.”

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