Top police officials demoted over alleged involvement in martial law incident

Severe disciplinary measures, including dismissals and demotions, have been imposed on high-ranking police officials implicated in the December 3 martial law incident. Notably, a Superintendent General, second only to the Police Commissioner General in rank, has been demoted, marking an unprecedented disciplinary action within the police force.

The National Police Agency announced on December 15 that the Central Disciplinary Committee of the Prime Minister's Office had ruled on disciplinary actions for 22 police officers. Among them, two were dismissed, four were demoted, ten received suspensions, and six were fined. The demotion of Kim Jun-young, former head of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, from Superintendent General to Superintendent is particularly significant, as such a demotion for an officer of his rank is rare.

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Kim Jun-young, former head of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, was demoted from Superintendent General to Superintendent.

Kim Jun-young is accused of ordering police deployments to the National Election Commission building in Gwacheon and the Election Training Institute in Suwon immediately after the declaration of emergency martial law. He was transferred to the prosecution in April on these charges.

Police command staff involved in blocking the National Assembly during the martial law period also faced severe penalties. Oh Bu-myung, former head of the Gyeongbu Provincial Police Agency (and then-Deputy Superintendent for Public Safety of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency), and Im Jeong-ju, former head of the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency (and then-Director of the Police Bureau of Operations), were dismissed. Joo Jin-woo, former Deputy Superintendent for Public Safety of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, was demoted from Superintendent to Senior Superintendent.

These officials are suspected of mobilizing police forces, including riot police and National Assembly security units, to control access to the National Assembly and permit martial law troops to enter the premises during the December 3 emergency martial law. They were also transferred to the prosecution in April.

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Oh Bu-myung, former head of the Gyeongbu Provincial Police Agency (and then-Deputy Superintendent for Public Safety of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency), and Im Jeong-ju, former head of the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency (and then-Director of the Police Bureau of Operations), were dismissed.

Kang Sang-moon, former head of the Yeongdeungpo Police Station, who allegedly dispatched officers to assist a political figure arrest team from the Counter-Intelligence Command, was demoted from Senior Superintendent to Superintendent. Unit commanders deployed to the National Assembly during martial law and Kim Moon-young, former Deputy Superintendent for Public Safety of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, reportedly received suspensions.

Prior to these actions, the police conducted an intensive internal investigation as part of the government's "Upholding the Constitution Government Innovation Task Force." The police's own task force, under the acting Police Commissioner General Yoo Jae-seong, had requested disciplinary actions against 22 individuals, 16 for severe misconduct and 6 for minor misconduct, in February. The Central Disciplinary Committee concluded its review and finalized the disciplinary measures on December 19.

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Kang Sang-moon, former head of the Yeongdeungpo Police Station, who allegedly dispatched officers to assist a political figure arrest team from the Counter-Intelligence Command, was demoted from Senior Superintendent to Superintendent.