The national police agency has called for the disbandment of the police bureau under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, citing a lack of legal and democratic legitimacy.

In a press release issued Sunday, the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) announced its full support for the Lee Jae-myung administration's pledge to dismantle the bureau and pledged active participation in the process.

The KNPA stated that the bureau, established within the Interior Ministry in August 2022, undermines the intent of the Police Act, which is designed to safeguard the neutrality and independence of the police, and was created solely through presidential decree without an explicit legal basis in higher laws such as the Government Organization Act.

The agency further criticized the bureau's establishment, calling it a significant organizational change implemented without adequate consultation with police leadership or deliberation by the National Police Commission.

The KNPA also pledged to restore the honor of senior officers who faced disadvantages for attending a July 2022 meeting held to voice concerns about the bureau's creation.

Expressing deep regret over the personnel actions taken against the senior superintendents involved, the agency vowed to pursue steps to rehabilitate their reputations and prevent similar incidents in the future.