Police retirees blocked from moving to major companies and law firms; 20 post-retirement job placements halted

[Financial News] A retired senior police official from the National Police Agency was denied approval when he sought to move to Samsung C&T Corporation as an adviser, after review by the Public Service Ethics Committee in the Government. Former Second Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Choi Nam-ho was also barred from taking a full-time advisory role at Samsung Global Research. On the 27th, the committee said it had decided to restrict 10 of the 94 post-retirement job review cases and reject another 10.
A job restriction is imposed when a close connection is found between the duties of the department or agency where the person worked during the five years before retirement and the prospective employer. Even if such a connection exists, approval may still be granted for special reasons set out in law, such as national security, public interest, or the use of professional expertise. If no such reason is recognized, the application is rejected.
A series of attempts by former police officials to join major companies and law firms were also blocked. A senior police official who retired from the National Police Agency in December applied for approval to become an adviser at Samsung C&T Corporation the following month, but the Public Service Ethics Committee in the Government ruled that the case did not meet the approval criteria under the Enforcement Decree of the Public Service Ethics Act.
A police superintendent who retired in the same month was also denied approval when he sought to move to a specialist position at the law firm Daehan. Another superintendent who retired in June was placed under a job restriction after the committee found a close link between his former duties and the law firm Anbak's Namyangju branch office, where he had sought to work as a specialist.
The review results for former officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy were mixed. Former Second Vice Minister Choi Nam-ho was restricted from joining Samsung Global Research as a full-time adviser. A senior civil servant from the ministry who retired in April was also restricted from becoming president of KATRI Testing & Research Institute, as the committee found the post was related to his previous duties.
By contrast, a senior civil servant from the ministry who retired last month was approved to move to SK Shipping as head of its overseas business strategy division.
Former Financial Services Commission director Yoo Jae-hoon was approved to become president of the Korea Insurance Development Institute. Yoo Soo-young, a former spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy and Finance, was also approved to become president of the Korea Credit Information Services. An executive at the Korea Center for International Finance was likewise approved to join the Korea Institute of Finance as a non-standing research fellow.
In contrast, a former grade-2 official at the Financial Supervisory Service was restricted from taking a full-time auditor post at Koramco Asset Management because of a recognized link to his previous duties.
In the science and intelligence sectors, former First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Lee Chang-yoon was approved to become vice president for research at Konkuk University. Former NIS Deputy Director Oh Ho-ryeong received a favorable decision for an advisory role at Codef Engineering. A former NIS special grade-1 official was also approved to join Kim & Chang as an adviser.
In the defense sector, even cases involving the same position at the same organization produced different outcomes. A former Navy brigadier general from the Ministry of National Defense was approved to become executive director of the Korea Defense Industry Association, while a former Navy colonel who sought the same post was denied approval.
A senior civil servant from the Ministry of National Defense was also approved to work as a visiting researcher at KICT, and a former official from the Presidential Security Service was approved to join ADD as a senior researcher.
A former superintendent from the Korea Coast Guard was approved to become head of management at Incheon Port Authority. A senior civil servant from MOF was approved to become president of the Korea Maritime Dangerous Goods Inspection and Testing Institute, and a former grade-4 official from MOF was also approved to serve as head of operations at Incheon Port Authority.
A former grade-4 official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was approved to serve as secretary-general of the Korea Federation of Construction Associations. A former grade-4 official from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment was approved to become secretary-general of KCIA, and a former grade-3 official from MAFRA was approved to become executive director of KFIA.
The Public Service Ethics Committee in the Government also asked the relevant court to impose fines in four cases where people had taken jobs without going through the required review.
[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter