KNPA deputy chief nominated as new police chief

Kim Jong-chul, deputy commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), was nominated Friday to serve as the agency's new commissioner general, filling a post that has remained vacant for nearly two years since former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law. Kim said he felt a heavy sense of responsibility over his nomination as KNPA commissioner general at a critical time, ahead of a meeting of the National Police Commission convened to deliberate on his appointment. "I am well aware that public expectations for the police are higher than ever and that concerns about the police are also growing," Kim said, adding he would participate in the commission meeting with a sense of responsibility and the utmost sincerity. The selection process for the KNPA commissioner general involves several steps: nomination by the presidential office, approval by the National Police Commission, a formal recommendation by the interior minister, a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly and, finally, appointment by the president. The KNPA commissioner general nominee can be