Photo: Deputy Director of Presidential Security Kim Seong-hun. Credit: YTN.
Although Yoon Suk-yeol 윤석열’s removal from office may be imminent, pro-Yoon personnel within the bureaucracy are carrying on the fight. On February 27, the National Police Agency 경찰청 announced its newest round of promotions, which included numerous officials who have served in the Office of the President 대통령실. Democratic Assembly Member Yun Geon-yeong 윤건영 민주당 국회의원 has alleged that the Presidential Office has been applying pressure to promote police officials who are known Yoon allies.
Among those promoted was Park Hyeon-su 박현수, the acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency 서울경찰청 who may have played a role in Yoon’s December 3 self-coup attempt. On the night of Yoon’s declaration of martial law, Park’s phone record showed several calls to then-police chief Jo Ji-ho 조지호 당시 경찰청장 and then-Interior Minister Lee Sang-min 이상민 당시 행정안전부 장관, raising suspicions that Park martialed the police to assist the coup attempt.
Meanwhile, the presidential security office has terminated the official who refused to resist Yoon’s arrest, claiming the official divulged confidential information. On March 17, the police requested that prosecutors petition for an arrest warrant for Kim Seong-hun, the Deputy Director of Presidential Security 대통령 경호처 차장 김성훈, who threatened to have presidential security shoot the police officers attempting to arrest Yoon. This is the fourth time police have requested; prosecutors declined the previous three requests to arrest Kim.