Yu Jae-seong, Vice Administrator of the Korean National Police Agency, who served as acting commissioner for the longest period, said, "A police investigation is not an authority but a responsibility and a duty."
At a farewell ceremony on the 2nd, acting commissioner Yu said, "In a month, investigations and indictments will be completely separated, and unlike other investigative agencies, the police cannot choose which cases to investigate," and stated accordingly.
Acting commissioner Yu urged, "We must respond without fail to the public's appeals, and we must do our utmost to bring every assigned case to a close," and "We must follow the procedures set by the Constitution and the law and use human rights and justice as the standard for all decisions."
Regarding the series of incidents including the Jang Yoon-gi case and the false closure of a missing-person case in Jeju, acting commissioner Yu said, "It even makes us question the very reason for the police to exist," and added, "Every mistake must be met with due accountability."
He continued, "We must coolly review whether the command and oversight system, standards and procedures, and internal systems functioned properly," and said, "We should humbly accept the public's reproach and correct shortcomings without delay."
Acting commissioner Yu also called for swift solutions to the difficulties police face in the field. He said, "Police run to those who need protection—before anyone else—due to suicide attempts, psychiatric emergencies, and issues related to intoxication or drugs," and added, "But because there are few appropriate facilities to transfer them to, police end up taking on protection duties for long periods." He then noted the need to establish public relief institutions and to expand public safety personnel, facilities, and equipment.
Addressing junior police officers, acting commissioner Yu said, "Please handle all tasks fairly and without self-interest," and added, "In particular, when deciding promotions and assignments, judge only by the principle of 'fairness.' That will help us regain the public's trust."
Acting commissioner Yu led the police organization for 1 year and 3 months. Kim Jong-cheol, Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency commissioner, has been appointed Vice Administrator of the Korean National Police Agency and will serve as acting commissioner until a new commissioner is appointed. After training, acting commissioner Yu will retire at the end of this year.
As for his thoughts on stepping down, acting commissioner Yu said, "I want to be remembered as a comfortable commander and a humane and conscientious police officer," and added, "Even if I take off the uniform, my affection for the police will not change."
Before the farewell ceremony, acting commissioner Yu told reporters that he hopes to teach after retirement. He said, "There is a lecture offered by a research foundation, so I applied," and added, "If I pass, I would like to teach related courses such as police administration and policing studies."