118 of 242 Police Station Chiefs Replaced... Hometown-Posting Restrictions Fully Applied in Senior Superintendent Appointments

[Financial News] Police have carried out a large-scale transfer of senior superintendent-level officers, replacing 118 of the 242 police station chiefs nationwide. To improve fairness in police work, they fully applied hometown-posting restrictions to police station chiefs and key investigation and audit posts.
The Korean National Police Agency said on the 13th that it had carried out transfer appointments for 385 positions, including 118 police station chiefs, in the second half of 2026. The appointments replaced about 49% of all police station chiefs.
The appointments focused on strengthening fairness in police work and restoring public trust. To that end, the agency fully applied the restrictions to hearing, audit and human rights officers at metropolitan and provincial police agencies, key division chiefs in investigative fields, and police station chief positions.
The scope of the restrictions varied by position. Metropolitan or provincial-level boundaries were used for hearing, audit and human rights officers and key investigative posts, while police station chiefs were assigned according to metropolitan or provincial boundaries or personnel zones within a province.
Personnel were assigned to key posts with their work experience and expertise in mind. To improve investigative capabilities in the field and strengthen protection for women, children and victims of crime, the agency assigned personnel with relevant experience and other qualifications to investigative units, hearing, audit and human rights officer posts, and the positions of women and youth affairs division chief and women’s safety division chief.
The police concluded their personnel appointments for the second half of the year with this round of senior superintendent-level transfers. A Korean National Police Agency official said, “We will continue to ensure that the transformed criminal justice system takes root steadily in the field, while pursuing innovation in police work to strengthen protection for women, children and victims of crime.”
[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter