The heads overseeing investigations at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the nation's largest regional police agency—the Director General for Investigations, the Director General for Security Investigations, and the chief of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit—were replaced late at night on the 24th.
The Korean National Police Agency announced transfers for 51 senior superintendents after 9 p.m. that day. The effective date has not been set. Announcing senior personnel changes on a Friday night is seen as unusual.
Im Kyung-woo, the Seoul agency's Director General for Investigations, and Choi Jong-sang, the North Chungcheong agency's Director General for Investigations, swapped posts, with Choi set to oversee investigations at the Seoul agency going forward. Kim Jong-min, the Seoul agency's Director General for Security Investigations, moved to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as police cooperation officer, and Oh Seung-jin, the chief of the Seoul agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit, became chief of the Seoul Gangseo Police Station. The previous posts have been left vacant.
Shin Hyo-seop, the South Gyeongsang agency's Director General for Investigations, was appointed head of the newly established integrated response unit for voice phishing and telecom-based financial fraud, and Lee Jae-young, the Seoul agency's Director General for Crime Prevention and Response, was appointed Director General for International Cooperation at the Korean National Police Agency. In addition, Kim Byung-kee, chief of the Seoul Gangseo Police Station, moved to Director General for Guard at the Seoul agency, and Yang Young-woo, the Daegu agency's Director General for Public Safety, became commander of the Seoul agency's 101 Guard Unit.
Senior superintendent general is the fourth-highest police rank after commissioner general, deputy commissioner general, and superintendent general. It is commonly called the "police star."