Police Promote and Transfer 48 Superintendent Generals, Expand Hometown-Avoidance Principle to Key Posts

The Korean National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Yonhap News Agency
[Financial News] Police carried out promotions and transfers involving 48 Superintendent Generals under the “hometown-avoidance principle,” which restricts officers from holding key posts in their place of origin or in areas where they have long-standing ties. The principle is a personnel practice designed to prevent possible collusion with local communities. Police have said they would expand its application to key positions in subsequent appointments following earlier senior-level personnel changes.
According to the Korean National Police Agency on the 28th, the appointments included key positions at the agency's headquarters and the National Office of Investigation, as well as director-level posts at metropolitan and provincial police agencies and chiefs of frontline police stations.
At the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, eight posts were included in the reshuffle, including the heads of the Police Administration, Public Security Information, Investigation, and Crime Prevention and Response departments, as well as the commander of the 101st Security Group and the chiefs of Gwanak, Gangseo, and Songpa police stations.
Kim Bo-jun, a security investigation review officer at the Security Investigation Bureau of the National Office of Investigation at the Korean National Police Agency, was appointed chief of the Sejong Police Agency. Ham Young-wook, head of the Investigation Department at the Jeonbuk Police Agency, became head of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency. Lee Seung-Yeol, head of the Instruction Department at the Central Police Academy (CPA), was appointed deputy chief of the Jeju Provincial Police Agency.
Key posts at the National Office of Investigation were also reshuffled. Kim Hyeong-ryul, chief of Bucheon Wonmi Police Station under the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, was appointed cyber investigation review officer in the Investigation Bureau. Kim Jin-tae, head of the Public Safety Department at the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency, was assigned as security investigation review officer in the Security Investigation Bureau. Park Woo-hyun, the National Office of Investigation's cyber investigation review officer, moved to head the Police Investigation Training Institute.
Six officers were promoted to Superintendent General through this personnel reshuffle. Kim Sang-hee, chief of Seoul Gangseo Police Station; Choi Byeong-yun, head of the Public Safety Department at the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency; Lee Yun, head of the Investigation Department at the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency; and Park Jong-sam, head of the Investigation Department at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency, were promoted from acting positions and formally appointed to their existing posts. Kim Geun-man, acting head of the Investigation Department at the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, was promoted and transferred to head the Investigation Department at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Song Seung-hyeon, acting head of the Public Safety Department at the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency, was promoted and transferred to head the Public Safety Department at the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency.
Bae Yong-seok, who had been seconded to the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Office at Cheong Wa Dae since April, moved to become a public security information review officer at the Public Security Information Bureau of the Korean National Police Agency.
[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter