The Minister of Public Administration and Security meets with candidates for the National Police Agency in advance... Controversy over 'tame'

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It was belatedly known that Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min had a preliminary interview with a candidate for the National Police Agency.

Minister Lee explained that he had seen him once because he didn't know what kind of people he was, but it is controversial that he wasn't actually an interview to tame a police commander.

Reporter Lee Seong-hoon covered the story.

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There are six candidates for the next police chief to succeed Kim Chang-ryong, whose term of office expires on the 23rd of next month.

They were all recently promoted to magistrates, one rank below the Chief of Police.

Before the commissioner's term expired, all candidates for the National Police Agency were replaced with new ones, which is unprecedented.

However, around the end of last month, it was confirmed that Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min had a one-on-one interview or phone call with them.

In a phone call with SBS, a public security official was wary of broad interpretations, saying, "It was a place to exchange greetings over a light cup of tea."

However, it was pointed out that the interview was not actually an 'interview' type of interview.

This is because, although the Minister of Public Administration and Security has the right to recommend personnel above the superintendent, it is unusual for him to have a separate meeting before the appointment of the president.

Recently, as it became known that the Ministry of Public Administration and Security was considering a plan to grant 'policing' to the affairs of the minister so that it has the authority to command and supervise the police, and to transfer the supervisory authority from the National Police Agency to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.

In addition, as the fact of the preliminary interview is known, there are voices within and outside the police that the government is controlling the police command with its personnel rights, thereby undermining the independence and neutrality of the investigation.

(Video editing: Kim Kyung-yeon)