The National Police Agency announced personnel transfers on September 1, 2026, involving three senior superintendents and 25 superintendents. With the national police chief position vacant, Kim Jong-cheol, deputy commissioner general of the National Police Agency, took over as acting chief. The changes also brought a major reshuffle of metropolitan and provincial police leadership nationwide.

Key Changes

Kim Jong-cheol, chief of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, was appointed deputy commissioner general of the National Police Agency and will serve as acting national police chief. Ko Beom-seok, formerly chief of the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency, moved to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, while Yoo Seung-ryeol, investigation planning and coordination officer at the National Office of Investigation, moved to become chief of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency.

Fourteen of the 18 metropolitan and provincial police chiefs nationwide were replaced, while reports put the overall replacement rate for superintendent-level positions at 81%. The National Police Agency said it fully applied the practice of excluding officers from posts in areas where they have regional or personal ties to all 18 metropolitan and provincial police chiefs.

The most notable feature of this personnel reshuffle is that 14 of the 18 metropolitan and provincial police chiefs were replaced.

Current Status

What has been officially confirmed so far is the launch of the Kim Jong-cheol acting-chief system and the reassignment of several major metropolitan and provincial police chiefs. Candidates for the next national police chief, as well as whether an appointment will be made, should be considered unconfirmed until officially announced.

There were also changes in the investigative command structure. Kim Gwang-sik, chief of Seoul’s Gwanak Police Station, was assigned as investigation planning and coordination officer at the National Office of Investigation, while Oh Seung-jin, head of the investigation division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, was appointed director of the Investigation Bureau.

Impact

The reshuffle is being characterized as a major reorganization of the police leadership structure, with a substantial number of metropolitan and provincial police chiefs and superintendent-level posts changing at once. The practice of excluding officers with local ties was applied nationwide, and new officials were also assigned to key investigative command positions, including investigation planning and coordination at the National Office of Investigation and the director of the Investigation Bureau. This confirms changes in both regional and investigative leadership.

However, no conclusions can be drawn beyond the confirmed facts about the relationship between this reshuffle and the appointment of the next national police chief, or about the background of individual personnel decisions.

Next Confirmation Point

The key follow-up point is whether the appointment of the next national police chief will be officially announced. Until then, the vacancy in the national police chief position and the Kim Jong-cheol acting-chief system should be treated as the current status.

Sources: National Police Agency major news list (checked September 2, 2026, at 04:46), and related reports from Yonhap News Agency, Hankyoreh, Kyunghyang Shinmun, and Korea일보 (checked September 2, 2026, at 04:46).

  • National Police Agency: https://police.go.kr/user/bbs/BD_selectBbsList.do%3Bjsessionid%3DCttP2dNmtaBckEN15p1Gy96Yr0g0ipwF1BsinQJcv6U6SeasTiBg16JvYJFYxHQS.cypol-was01_servlet_engine5?q_bbsCode=1011
  • Yonhap News Agency: https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20260901197151004
  • Hankyoreh: https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/1275781.html
  • Kyunghyang Shinmun: https://www.khan.co.kr/article/202609012232005/
  • Korea일보: https://www.hankookilbo.com/news/article/A2026090121510005140