Police Internal 'Stir' Over Appointment of Former Prosecutor Jeong Sun-shin as Head of National Police Agency

"Voices Saying 'Adjustment of Police-Prosecutor Investigation Authority Is Meaningless'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] The appointment of former prosecutor-turned-lawyer Jeong Soon-shin as the new head of the National Investigation Headquarters, which oversees police investigations, has stirred unrest within the police force. Voices are emerging that the significance of the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution has been rendered meaningless.

On the 24th, the National Police Agency announced the appointment of Lawyer Jeong as the 2nd head of the National Investigation Headquarters. Jeong is scheduled to take office on the 27th and will lead the National Investigation Headquarters for the next two years until February 25, 2025. Jeong is a graduate of the 27th Judicial Research and Training Institute class and is a former prosecutor who worked alongside President Yoon Seok-youl at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. In 2011, when President Yoon was the head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Central Investigation Division 2, Jeong served as the deputy spokesperson of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and in 2018, he worked at the same prosecution office as the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and human rights supervisor. He is a classmate from the Judicial Research and Training Institute with Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice and a close aide to President Yoon, and Lee Won-seok, Prosecutor General.

With a former prosecutor appointed as the head of the National Investigation Headquarters, a position that oversees police investigations following the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution, voices of opposition have already emerged within the police. Immediately after the announcement of Jeong’s appointment, a post appeared on the police internal network stating, "The purpose of the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution seems to have been nullified," and "Now, even writing such posts is frightening."

There are also considerable concerns linked to the Ministry of Justice’s revision of investigation guidelines, which significantly expands the scope of supplementary investigation requests and reinvestigation demands by the prosecution after the adjustment of investigative authority. A police official said, "Given the ongoing conflicts with the prosecution, it is questionable whether a former prosecutor can truly represent the voice of the police."

There are also claims that the recruitment process itself was problematic. After the adjustment of investigative authority, the National Investigation Headquarters is supposed to maintain independence and neutrality in police investigations and not be under the command of the National Police Agency Commissioner. However, it has been pointed out as contradictory that the head of the National Police Agency recommends the head of the National Investigation Headquarters. Another police official said, "The fact that the National Police Agency Commissioner recommends the candidate itself infringes on the independence of the National Investigation Headquarters," adding, "Moreover, the Commissioner, who holds personnel authority, could not have exercised the recommendation right without prior consultation with the President."

There are also predictions that the internal atmosphere of the National Investigation Headquarters will be disrupted. Questions arise whether a former prosecutor-turned-lawyer, who is completely unfamiliar with the police, can single-handedly lead over 30,000 investigative police officers. The expectation of inevitable conflicts with the criminal affairs director or investigation director, who are considered key aides at the rank of police commissioner within the National Investigation Headquarters, adds weight to these concerns.

Some speculate that the Presidential Office may have had Jeong in mind from the beginning when conducting the recruitment process for the head of the National Investigation Headquarters. In the recruitment held last month, three candidates applied, including Jeong, former Seoul Police Agency Investigation Chief Jang Kyung-seok, and former Hwacheon Police Station Chief Choi In-seok. Except for Jeong, the other two candidates were police officers, but since their ranks at retirement were police superintendent and senior superintendent, respectively, the prevailing opinion was that they were not suitable for the position of head of the National Investigation Headquarters, which holds the second-highest rank of police commissioner. Given Jeong’s history of working with President Yoon, speculation has been raised both inside and outside the police that a close aide of the President has been placed as the top official in charge of police investigations.

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