◀ Anchor ▶
Lawyer Jeong Soon-shin, a former prosecutor, has been appointed as the head of the National Investigation Headquarters, which oversees more than 30,000 police investigators.
This is the first time that a former prosecutor has become a high-ranking police officer, and concerns about the ‘independence of the police’ are emerging from front-line police and civic groups.
Reporter Moon Da-yeong covered the story.
◀ Report ▶
Lawyer Jeong Sun-shin, a former prosecutor, was appointed as the first head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.
About 30,000 investigative police officers, including 18 provincial and provincial police offices nationwide, were led by a former prosecutor.
During his tenure at the Prosecutor’s Office, Jung was considered a special expert by the prosecution, including investigating the corruption of former Semo Group chairman Yoo Byung-eon’s family and Choi Soon-sil’s manipulation of state affairs.
Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok and Judicial Research and Training Institute, and President Yoon Seok-yeol worked together at the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office and the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office.
The National Police Agency explained this personnel appointment as “considering the need to strengthen the police’s responsible investigation capabilities by recruiting experienced outsiders.”
The head of the National Investigation Headquarters is a ‘supervisor of public order’, and is a position that can be promoted to the chief of the National Police Agency by law.
Sighs flowed among front-line police officers.
In the police internal network, criticism was poured out, saying, “It has become the prosecution republic that we were concerned about,” and “How will the leaders deal with these figures?”
Some even gave a cynical response, saying, “Is the day coming when a police officer will be appointed as the prosecutor general?”
Above all, according to the adjustment of the prosecutor’s authority, the police can judge and end the investigation on their own without the prosecution’s command, but there are concerns that the purpose may fade.
[민관기 / 전국경찰직장협의회 위원장]
″Even though there are many command departments that have been investigating for decades and are well-versed in investigations in the police command department, due to the internal appointment of former prosecutors……″
Following the establishment of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security Police Department, concerns about the infringement of police independence are also raised as the former prosecutor’s office was appointed as the head of the National Investigation Headquarters.
Civic groups such as People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and Minbyun pointed out that ″appointing a former prosecutor who has a working relationship with the president may infringe on the independence of the police investigation.″
However, there is no expectation from some police officers that Chief Jung, known as a special agent, can contribute to strengthening the police’s investigative capabilities.
This is Dayoung Moon from MBC News.
Video editing: Lim Joo-hyang