Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Park Jeong-bo: "Flawed investigative structure corrected; must respond with fair and just investigations"

[Financial News] Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Park Jeong-bo stated, "The flawed investigative structure has been rectified, and the police have become the primary agents of investigation," adding, "We must respond to the public with fair, just, and thorough investigations." This effectively defines the restructuring of investigative authority—following the abolition of the Prosecutors' Office and the complete elimination of prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers this coming October—as effectively complete. At the same time, addressing an organization shaken by successive controversies over poor investigations, he urged, "I hope you take the voices of criticism to heart, but do not become discouraged or intimidated."
Commissioner Park stated this at his retirement ceremony held at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno District, Seoul, on the morning of the 2nd, saying, "While working in the field of investigation for a long time, I think I was often upset by the distorted investigative structure and the overly harsh evaluations and treatment compared to the weight of responsibility the police bear."
Commissioner Park's retirement follows the personnel changes announced the previous night. On the night of the 1st, the Korean National Police Agency carried out the "2026 Second-Half Senior Superintendent and Superintendent Transfer Reshuffle," appointing Kim Jongcheol, Chief of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, as Deputy Commissioner; Ko Beom-seok, Chief of the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency, as Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency; and Yoo Seung-ryeol, Director General for Investigation Planning and Coordination at the National Office of Investigation, as Chief of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency. Of the 18 provincial and city police chiefs, 14 were replaced, 81% of Superintendent positions were changed, and the "Hometown Restriction System," which excludes assignments to one's hometown, was applied to all 18 officials. Commissioner Park took office as the 41st Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on September 29 of last year.
Commissioner Park also addressed the recent public criticism directed at the police. He stated, "Recently, there are voices that are lowering police morale and making the public anxious," adding, "Since not even the slightest negligence can be tolerated regarding matters related to public safety, we must humbly accept criticism for our mistakes; however, it is truly regrettable and heartbreaking to think of the colleagues who are silently fulfilling their responsibilities on the front lines even at this very moment."
This remark is interpreted as being made with the situation in mind where discussions surrounding the police have shifted toward stricter control, following the emergence of suspicions regarding a police officer's destruction of evidence in the Gwangju Jang Yun-gi case and the revelation that the officer in charge falsely closed the Jeju disappearance case. In fact, the exclusion of Jeju Provincial Police Agency Chief Go Pyeong-gi, who was slated for promotion to Senior Superintendent, from the transfer list is also interpreted as a consequence of the Jeju incident.
Commissioner Park said, "I firmly believe that if we devote ourselves without rest, the public will one day provide the police with treatment and evaluations commensurate with their hard work," adding, "We must never forget that there are far more citizens who consistently support and cheer for the police from behind the scenes."
He said, "We used to promise to meet again, saying 'what goes around comes around,' but this time, I don't think I can promise to return," adding, "I hope that even if we happen to run into each other on the street, we can greet each other with a warm smile."
Meanwhile, Commissioner Park was born in Jindo, South Jeolla Province, in 1968 and joined the police force in 1994 as a member of the 42nd class of officer candidates. He served as the director of the Cyber Safety Digital Forensics Center at the Korean National Police Agency and as director of the Police Human Resources Development Institute.


[email protected] Seo Ji-yoon Reporter