Key facts
- Kim Jong-chul has been appointed deputy commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency.
- He will serve as the acting head of the agency.
- Kim emphasized the need to 'redesign' the police force to regain public trust.
- Recent scandals, including a mishandled missing person case on Jeju, have damaged public trust.
- The police will assume primary investigative authority following the removal of prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers.
Kim Jong-chul, formerly the chief of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, has been appointed deputy commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency and will serve as the acting head. The appointment comes amid a prolonged vacancy in the top post.
Upon his appointment, Kim stressed the urgent need for the agency to undergo a "redesign" to restore public trust, which he believes has reached a critical point due to recent high-profile scandals. He specifically mentioned the mishandling of a missing person case on Jeju Island, where a police officer allegedly closed the case without confirming the woman's safety, only for her body to be found later.
Kim also pledged to address public concerns regarding the upcoming shift in investigative authority. The Cabinet recently approved a legal revision to abolish prosecutors' direct investigation powers, including supplementary investigations, with the police set to assume primary authority on October 2.