Acting Police Chief Kim Jong-chul Promises Sweeping Reform and Issues Public Apology

Acting National Police Chief Kim Jong-chul opened his first official meeting with a public apology, telling police commanders that promises alone would not repair trust.

Kim, who also serves as deputy police chief, convened the national police leadership meeting on Sept. 3 at the National Police Agency headquarters in Seoul. The meeting brought together the head of the National Office of Investigation and the chiefs of police agencies from across South Korea. It marked the first time that the newly replaced national leadership gathered at headquarters before taking up posts in their respective regions.

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Before making any promises, I offer my reflection and apology.

The gathering followed controversies including an inadequate investigation into the Jang Yun-gi case in Gwangju and the false closure of a missing-person case in Jeju. Kim said the leadership had assembled to reinforce its commitment to a wholesale renewal of the police force.

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The public is asking, ‘Can we really trust the police?’ I will not avoid or make excuses for that question, and I will not end by blaming only individual officers.

“Before making any promises, I offer my reflection and apology,” Kim said. He acknowledged that the public was asking whether the police could be trusted and promised not to avoid or make excuses for that question. He also said the leadership would not simply blame individual officers, but would examine the causes one by one and correct them.

Kim pledged to eliminate a culture of reducing or concealing cases and protecting colleagues. “We will reveal police wrongdoing exactly as it is and root out the culture of hiding or shielding mistakes,” he said. He added that conduct undermining investigative fairness and independence, concealing or minimizing cases, or giving the public false explanations would no longer be tolerated.

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We will reveal police wrongdoing exactly as it is and root out the culture of hiding or shielding mistakes.

He said he was prepared to redesign the organization from its foundations and announced the creation of a police reform task force at headquarters. At the start of the meeting, Kim also led commanders in reciting the police charter, which sets out duties including protecting lives and property and enforcing the law fairly.

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If trust is lost, the police have no reason to exist. We will show change and action, not just make speeches.