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News summary on the way home from work, Subsletter Evening.
A new police department was established within the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
Despite strong opposition from inside and outside the police, Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min announced that the establishment of a new police station would be formalized and speeded up.
Ahead of this announcement, Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong threw his post.
Not only is the atmosphere inside the police turbulent around the police department, but the political struggle is also getting fiercer.
Kim Chang-ryong throws directly ahead of the announcement of 'Police Department'
Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong of the National Police Agency expressed his resignation and issued a statement in front of reporters.
“As a result of deep contemplation of the role and responsibilities given to me as the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, I have decided that it is best for me to resign at this point,” he explained, explaining the background of the company’s statement. There is a part where he expressed his feelings, saying, "I am sorry and sorry for not being able to do it."
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Commissioner Kim said, "The current police law system was born with such national aspirations, and on this institutional basis, the police have developed enough to be recognized as the world's highest level of stable public security." By changing the fundamentals of the system, the police have consistently emphasized the need for a broad collection of opinions and in-depth review and discussion in consideration of its influence and ripple effect.” I'm telling you indirectly.
It can also be read as an indirect expression of opposition to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's reform of the police system.
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The recommendation is to change the foundation of the police system, and the police have consistently emphasized the need for extensive opinion gathering and in-depth review and discussion in consideration of its influence and ripple effect.
Although I am resigning from the chief of the National Police Agency here, I hope that discussions on the development of the police system for the people will continue in the future.
It is said that the resignation of Commissioner Chang-ryong Kim will not be repaired immediately.
President Yoon Seok-yeol is leaving the country to attend the NATO summit, and the president's office is in the position of following the procedures set by the law.
Complying with the legal process can be interpreted as meaning to follow the procedure to decide whether to accept the resignation after reviewing the prosecution investigation, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and disciplinary review before accepting the resignation.
Inside the presidential office, there are voices criticizing the behavior of the chief security officer who threw his post without notice on the day the president's overseas tour began.
With 26 days left of his term of office, he resigns.. The police are bubbly
Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong's resignation was expected to some extent.
It can be seen as taking responsibility for internal opposition to police control, such as the establishment of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security's establishment of a police department, and the correction of the public security chief's personnel, as well as the rebuke of President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'disruption of the national flag'.
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Regarding the establishment of a new police station, Commissioner Kim talked with Minister Lee Sang-min for nearly an hour and a half last weekend, explaining the position of the National Police Agency.
However, it is said that this minister was immovable.
In the end, it seems that the position difference was not narrowed until the last minute and threw a straight line.
Commissioner Kim was appointed as the 22nd Commissioner of the National Police Agency in July 2020 under the Moon Jae-in government.
Within the police, opposition to the police control of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security is growing stronger.
Police work councils across the country are issuing a statement against the establishment of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security or putting up banners against the police department at local police stations, and some police officers have prepared a 'Police Declaration of Independence'.
Ahn Seong-ju, chairman of the Ulsan Police Agency works council, at a press conference held the 'Police Declaration of Independence' stating, "Political neutrality of the police can never be the subject of political compromise, and the task of the police must be outside the sphere of influence under any political force." I also announced
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It is said that opinions against the establishment of the police department are coming up one after another in the police internal network, but regardless of the resignation of Commissioner Kim, the reaction by the police seems to be spreading more.
"Announcement of new police department plan next month"
Immediately after Commissioner Kim expressed his resignation, Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min gave a briefing, revealing 'the position and future plans of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security in relation to the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Police System Improvement'.
The key point is to quickly establish a so-called 'police department' within the Ministry of Public Administration and Security to check the police, who have grown in power due to the 'completely stripped down of the prosecution's investigation authority'.
It took the form of accepting the 'recommendation' announced by the Police System Improvement Advisory Committee earlier.
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Minister Lee said, "We plan to prepare and announce the final draft by July 15 and start enacting and revising related regulations."
If this happens, the Ministry of Home Affairs (predecessor of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security) will have a police organization within the Ministry of Public Security after 31 years of independence as the National Police Agency, an external agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1991.
Regarding the necessity of the police department, that is, the police work organization, "In addition to the problem of the command and supervision methods of past governments, the authority of the police has recently been rapidly expanded and strengthened. situation", but since the current government ordered the police to be led through the Minister of Public Administration and Security in accordance with the Constitution and laws and abolished the chief civil affairs and security secretary, there should be a 'minimum necessary' organization to direct and supervise the police within the Ministry of Public Administration and Security. I explained.
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In a situation where there is no organization or body to command the police in the presidential office as it is now, if even the Ministry of Public Administration and Security does not have a police-related organization, the President or the Minister of the Interior and Safety has no organization to direct and supervise the police. It is impossible to carry out its responsibilities at all, and the police have no choice but to become the fourth police department after the judiciary, legislative branch and executive branch, with virtually no command or control body.
Just as there have been organizations such as the BH's senior civil affairs office, security secretary, and dispatched police officers in the past, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security must have the minimum necessary organization to properly perform the roles and responsibilities given by the Constitution and the law.
opposing logic point by point rebuttal
Controversy over neutrality and independence and illegality have been raised both inside and outside the police regarding the police control plan, such as the establishment of a police station.
First of all, with regard to the establishment of the police station, there was criticism that the creation of a related organization through the enforcement decree was beyond the scope of delegation of the law, even though the Minister of Public Administration and Security does not have policing duties under the Government Organization Act.
In response, Minister Lee also presented relevant grounds, saying that even if the Minister of Public Administration and Security does not directly perform public security affairs, he has the responsibility and authority to check and direct and supervise the National Police Agency’s work properly.
He also criticized the practice of directing the police, saying, "In past governments, it was not uncommon for the president's office to directly command and control the police, which was called the BH."
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Regarding the criticism that it undermines the neutrality of the police organization, he argued, "All police officers must comply with the duty of political neutrality, and this has nothing to do with whether or not a police work organization is established."
He also explained that laws and systems are in place so that no one, including the Minister of Public Administration and Security and the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, can influence the investigation of individual and specific cases.
Democrats "Declare war on the people"
The Democratic Party strongly opposes the announcement of a plan to establish a new police organization called the 'Police Department'.
Park Hong-geun, the floor leader, attended the debate and criticized it as "a 'declaration of war on the people' to put the police under the Ministry of Public Administration and Security and directly control it, regardless of public opposition or controversy over illegality."
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"The intention is to revive the people's wand, which was hard to return, as a 'stick of power' for the completion of the Prosecutor's Republic
. It can be seen as a declaration of war that the prosecution and the police will lead the dictatorship again.”
Hwang Un-ha, a former police officer from the Democratic Party of Korea, also reacted furiously at the debate, saying, "If the police department becomes a reality, police officers across the country should push for the impeachment of Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min."
It can be said that the argument that democratic control is necessary over the police, whose powers are greatly strengthened, and the argument that the historical trend of strengthening 'police neutrality' should be respected are all reasonable.
Opinions differ depending on which one to emphasize, but it seems necessary to reconcile the two.
It wouldn't be as easy as it sounds, but I can't erase the feeling that the Ministry of Public Administration and Security is trying to deal with it quickly.
Minister Lee Sang-min said that he would prepare and announce the final draft by the 15th of next month on the police control plan, such as the establishment of a police station, but you will have to gather wisdom so as not to commit the mistake of regressing into the black history of the police.
a piece of the day
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The eldest daughter of Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun had a wedding, and many business leaders including Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai family members attended.
The picture is of a father looking at his daughter in a dress.
(Photo = Yonhap News)
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