New Seoul Police Chief Go Beom-seok: "Avoiding Mistakes Comes Before Doing Things Well"

[Financial News] Newly appointed Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Go Beom-seok emphasized in his inaugural remarks that "steadfast adherence to fundamentals and principles is more important than flashy achievements." With the abolition of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea (SPO) and the complete separation of investigations and indictments just one month away, his remarks are seen as stressing the responsibility that must accompany the investigative authority concentrated in the police. This is in line with Kim Jongcheol, the newly appointed acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, who also emphasized "police reform" in his first remarks.
At his inauguration ceremony held at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno District, Seoul, on the 3rd, Commissioner Go said, "As we face changes to the criminal justice system in which investigations and indictments will be completely separated, the role and responsibility of the police are growing even greater." He added, "For the Seoul police to earn the public's full trust, 'not doing wrong' must come before 'doing things well.'" He also urged officers to "firmly guard against violations of duty and internal corruption, comply with the Constitution and laws in all duties, and exercise caution so that law enforcement is fair in both its results and its procedures."
Commissioner Go also presented four priorities: focusing on citizens' lives and safety; fundamentals and principles; putting oneself in others' shoes in the workplace; and a field-oriented approach.
Commissioner Go emphasized, "Citizens are always the starting point of police activities," adding, "The police, who are responsible for citizens' lives and safety, must view every issue from the citizens' perspective rather than from the police's point of view, whatever they do." He urged officers to conduct their work with a citizen-centered approach, recognizing that while a matter may be part of the police's daily work, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime and deeply consequential event for citizens.
He also stressed the importance of putting oneself in others' shoes by "understanding and respecting one another," even when disagreements arise among police personnel. Rather than fostering conflict, he called for an organizational culture based on "respect and consideration."
Commissioner Go said, "The beginning and end of police work ultimately lie in the field," and urged officers to "make the voices from the field an important standard for public safety and properly reflect them in police activities."
Meanwhile, under the sweeping overhaul of the criminal justice system scheduled for the 2nd of next month, the SPO will be abolished, along with prosecutors' direct investigative authority and supplementary investigative powers. A Public Prosecution Office dedicated solely to indictments and a Serious Crime Investigation Agency responsible for investigations will be established, making it unavoidable that investigative capabilities will become concentrated in the police. In particular, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which has the nation's largest investigative workforce, is expected to be both the biggest beneficiary and the subject of the strictest scrutiny.
Following the retirement of acting Commissioner General Jaesung Yoo, Kim Jongcheol, the newly appointed acting commissioner general who will lead the police organization of more than 140,000 officers, skipped an inauguration ceremony and immediately began addressing pending issues. At 9 a.m. that day, Kim chaired a nationwide police leadership meeting at the Korean National Police Agency's Eoullim Madang and issued a public letter of apology and reflection.
Kim said, "In the recent Jang Yoon-gi case and the Jeju missing-person cover-up case, the police, whose duty was to protect the public's lives and safety, failed to fulfill their role. We also failed to properly respond to the desperate pleas of those anxiously waiting to learn whether their loved ones were alive." He added, "As acting commissioner general, I will neither evade this question nor make excuses," confronting the issue head-on.

[email protected] Seo Ji-yoon Reporter