The police ended close protection duties that had been maintained since President Lee Jae-myung took office.
The Korean National Police Agency stated on the 5th, "The police unit dedicated to President Lee during the election period withdrew on the night of the 4th." It appears that close protection for President Lee will now be led by the National Security Office.
Presidential candidates receive police protection during the election campaign. If a candidate is elected president, the National Security Office typically provides protection. However, during an official external schedule the day before, both police and security personnel provided close protection for President Lee. There were also witnesses to a security officer from the National Security Office physically blocking a police officer during the inauguration ceremony held at the National Assembly main building.
There has been analysis that the reason the police protection continued after the election is that President Lee does not trust the leadership of the National Security Office. It is said that there are individuals within the National Security Office who were involved in obstructing the execution of arrest warrants for former President Yoon Suk-yeol.