Prime Minister Swears in New Seoul Police Chief

An unusual event took place yesterday at the Prime Minister`s Office in the Central Government Complex in Seoul.

Prime Minister Han Seung-soo personally presented the certificate of appointment and the badge of office to the new Seoul police chief, Joo Sang-yong.

The security minister or chief of police had always hosted the swearing-in of the heads of general district police departments.

This time, however, the prime minister had to host the ceremony because Public Administration and Security Minister-nominee Lee Dal-gon has yet to be confirmed and Kim Seok-ki resigned as Seoul police chief. Lee’s predecessor Won Sei-hoon left his post to lead the National Intelligence Service Thursday.

“This is the first time for the prime minister to award the certification of appointment to a district police chief,” said a Seoul police official. “It’s partly because the two positions of (the security minister and Seoul police chief) are vacant. But my understanding is that the prime minister personally presented the certificate to boost police morale.”

In the ceremony, the new police commissioner said he will protect the Constitution and ensure Seoul police quickly recover from the shock of the Yongsan clash that killed five protesters and a police officer. Joo added that he will ensure law and order are maintained at all costs.

“We must make efforts to promptly and resiliently exercise public power based on through preparations,” he said, pledging to protect the legal order.

alwaysj@donga.com