Police Agency Places Seoul Metropolitan Police Department Intelligence Chief on Leave Amid 'Report Deletion Suspicion'

The view of the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] On the 14th, the National Police Agency placed Park Seongmin, head of the Public Safety Information and Foreign Affairs Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, on standby leave amid allegations that he deleted an intelligence report concerning safety accidents during the Halloween period.

The National Police Agency announced that Park was placed on standby leave and reassigned to the General Affairs Office at the headquarters. The agency explained, "It was judged that normal work performance would be difficult due to the request for investigation." Kim Bojun, Public Safety Information Review Officer at the National Police Agency, was appointed as Park’s successor. With this, the number of police officials placed on standby leave related to the Itaewon tragedy has increased to five, including former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Imjae and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Personnel and Education Division Chief Ryu Mijin.

Earlier, after the Itaewon tragedy, Park was targeted for inspection and investigation after instructing intelligence chiefs from frontline police stations, including Yongsan, in a messenger chatroom to "delete intelligence reports according to regulations in preparation for inspection and seizure." The National Police Agency’s Special Inspection Team requested an investigation into Park by the Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Unit) on the same day. The Special Investigation Unit plans to summon Park as a witness for questioning soon. They also added that after the investigation, they will consider whether to change Park’s status to that of a suspect.

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