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The National Police Agency revealed a significant personnel change for superintendents on the 26th. Uncommonly, this reassignment occurred before promotions to the superintendent position. Among police officials, this adjustment has been described as a “major personnel restructuring in line with the current administration’s goals.”

The National Police Agency mentioned that it carried out transfers for 472 superintendents, including the appointment of Lee Eun-ae, who was the head of the Women and Youth Division at the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency, as the Audit Supervisor, a significant role within the National Police Agency. Superintendent Lee had supported the expansion of police investigative independence during the adjustment of investigative authority between prosecutors and police. In July 2022, during the debate over creating a police bureau, she participated in a nationwide meeting of superintendents and was subsequently involved in personnel changes. Jo Mi-yeon, another participant in the superintendents’ meeting and former head of the Yeoju Police Station under the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency, was appointed as the Planning and Coordination Supervisor at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Important roles within the National Police Agency, such as audit, inspection, and intelligence, were all changed. Jung Hyun-cheol, who leads the Seoul 2nd Mobile Unit, was appointed Inspection Supervisor. Yang Seung-ho, head of the Seoul Geumcheon Police Station, became Supervisor of the Public Safety Information Situation Division; Shin Dong-gon, head of the Seoul Nowon Police Station, became Supervisor of the Public Safety Information Analysis Division; and Jeong Moon-seok, head of the Seoul Eunpyeong Police Station, became Supervisor of the Public Safety Information Cooperation Division. Choi In-gyu, head of the Seoul Gwanak Police Station, was appointed Innovation Planning and Coordination Supervisor; Jeong Han-gyu, head of the Security Division at the National Police Agency, became Education Policy Supervisor; and Jo Chang-bae, head of the Criminal Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, took on the role of Investigation and Human Rights Supervisor. Lee Dong-gyu, head of the Chungnam Hongseong Police Station, was named Leader of the Local Police Planning Team, and Park Jeong-hoon, former Innovation Planning and Coordination Supervisor at the National Police Agency, became Leader of the Local Police Operations Team.

Key roles within the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency also experienced major shifts. Park Ju-hyuk, who led the Seoul Seocho Police Station, was appointed as the Public Relations Supervisor; Seo Gi-yong, formerly in charge of the Seoul Seongdong Police Station, took on the role of Hearing, Audit, and Human Rights Supervisor; Jeong Hwan-soo, head of the Investigation Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, was designated as the Leader of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Team; Park Sam-hyeon, who led the Gangbuk Police Station, became the Public Crime Investigation Team Leader; and Kang Il-gu, head of the Security Investigation Division 2 at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, was named the Financial Crime Investigation Team Leader.

Inside the police department, this reorganization has been described as “decisions focused on individuals rather than current matters.” Indeed, all key personnel responsible for cybercrime investigations at the National Police Agency and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who were managing cases such as the Coupang personal data breach and multiple hacking incidents, have been replaced. Lee Gi-beom, head of the Yangju Police Station in northern Gyeonggi, was appointed Supervisor of the Cybercrime Investigation Division at the National Police Agency, while Lee Seong-il, head of the Wando Police Station in South Jeolla, was named Supervisor of the Cybercrime Investigation Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

People who occupied important roles in the previous government were moved to local positions. Hwang Se-young, who previously led the 101st Security Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency—responsible for safeguarding the presidential office during the prior administration—was relocated to the Crime Prevention and Response Division of the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency. Kim Wan-gi, who once headed the Seoul Mapo Police Station and was involved in a legal conflict with lawyer Kim Kyu-hyun regarding comments about the December 3 emergency martial law, was reassigned as Public Relations Supervisor at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Police Agency.

Furthermore, superintendents who held dispatched positions under the previous administration were mostly moved to regional roles. Park Jong-hyun, who functioned as an administrator at the Public Ethics Secretariat of the Presidential Office, was transferred to the Crime Prevention Division within the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency. Jeong Hae-young, who was part of the personnel verification team during the transition committee, took on the role of situation team leader at the 112 Comprehensive Public Safety Situation Room of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency. Jo Young-wook, previously an administrator at the Public Relations Secretariat of the State Council, was reassigned as a team leader for manager education at the Korean National Police University.