South Korea reshuffles half of police station chiefs

South Korea's National Police Agency has announced a major personnel reshuffle for the second half of the year, replacing 49% of the country's 242 police station chiefs. The agency is implementing a “regional avoidance system” (hyangpi-je), which restricts officers from serving in their hometowns or areas where they attended school, to prevent local collusion and corruption.

The reshuffle also includes the reassignment of several senior officers who had previously been suspended for their alleged involvement in the declaration of emergency martial law on December 3, 2024. These officers have been appointed to new roles within provincial police agencies.

In separate legislative news, a revised Emergency Medical Services Act has passed the Cabinet meeting. The law aims to prevent delays in emergency care by empowering the 119 emergency management center to directly designate medical institutions for transporting severe patients when a hospital cannot be quickly identified.