Emergency State in South Korea: Police Leadership Arrested Amidst Unprecedented Crisis

In a shocking turn of events, Police Chief Jo Ji-ho (조지호) and Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-sik (김봉식) were arrested early on December 11 on charges related to insurrection. Following the resignation of former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min (이상민) on December 8, the Ministry has been operating under the acting leadership of Vice Minister Ko Gi-dong (고기동). This has left key institutions responsible for public safety and law enforcement in an unprecedented state of leadership vacuum, raising concerns about a potential security gap as military command and control also face instability.

Chief Jo was summoned for questioning at the Mapo Police Station at 4 PM on December 10 and was taken into custody around 3:30 AM the following day after approximately 11.5 hours of interrogation. Chief Kim, who had taken a leave of absence to consult with a lawyer, was also arrested after being questioned at 5:30 PM. Both chiefs have since been transferred to the detention center at the Namdaemun Police Station in Seoul, where they are reportedly held in solitary confinement after surrendering their personal belongings. They have both retained legal counsel.

In response to the arrests, the National Police Agency has quickly transitioned to an acting deputy chief system, with Deputy Chief Lee Ho-young (이호영) stepping in for the National Police Agency and Chief Choi Hyun-seok (최현석) taking over for the Seoul Police Agency. However, there is significant unrest within the police force, as Chief Jo held the highest rank overseeing over 130,000 officers, while Chief Kim was responsible for maintaining order in the capital.

Additionally, Gyeonggi Southern Police Chief Kim Jun-young (김준영) is under investigation for allegedly deploying police to the Central Election Management Committee during the emergency state, raising further concerns about the integrity of law enforcement. He is accused of directing his officers to enter sensitive locations under the pretext of a counter-terrorism operation, which included arming them with K-1 rifles and ammunition.

A police official expressed concern that if Chief Kim were also arrested, it would create a significant void in law enforcement in the Seoul metropolitan area. Officers on the ground have voiced their shock at the rapid arrests of their top leaders, with one stating that while ongoing investigations must continue, morale within the organization is bound to suffer.

The simultaneous leadership vacuum is likely to disrupt ongoing investigations into major cases, particularly as counterintelligence operations have been fully transferred to the police this year. With half of the 213 officers assigned to the National Police Agency's special unit investigating the emergency state, concerns are mounting that critical espionage investigations will be hindered.

As large-scale protests calling for President Yoon's impeachment continue, there are rising fears about public safety and potential incidents, especially with key figures in the security line now under investigation. It is anticipated that more officials, including those responsible for managing protests, will soon find themselves in the crosshairs of the investigation. A police officer noted that even with an acting leadership structure, the daily protests and major investigations could effectively paralyze police operations, compounding the already high stress levels among frontline officers. The upcoming promotions for police chiefs scheduled for December and January are also likely to be postponed due to the current crisis.