Seoul Commissioner: “Ms. Kim visited Mapo Bridge and managed traffic.” [2024 국정감사]

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Bong-sik said on the 15th about whether traffic was controlled during President Yoon Seok-yeol’s wife Kim Kun-hee‘s visit to Mapo Bridge, saying, “There was no control on Mapo Bridge, but we do manage traffic at a minimum to ensure safety when moving.”

At the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee audit held at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Naeja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on this day, Commissioner Kim responded to People Power Party Rep. Cho Eun-hee’s question about whether there was any traffic control during Ms. Kim’s visit to the Mapo Bridge site, saying, “We will follow the same tone as the previous governments.” there is. “Nothing has changed drastically under the current government,” he said.

First lady Kim Kun-hee is on foot patrol with a worker from the Yonggang District Unit of the Mapo Police Station at Mapo Bridge in Seoul on September 10th to mark ‘World Suicide Prevention Day’. Provided by the President’s Office

Representative Chae Hyun-il of the Democratic Party of Korea criticized, saying, “That is traffic control.” He added, “The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which has no security duties, only looked at Ms. Kim and supported traffic control and presidential cosplay.”

Rep. Lee Hae-sik of the same party also said, “According to the Security Act, traffic management is required only when there is a significant reason that it is deemed unavoidable, but it is questionable whether there is a significant reason that (management) is recognized as inevitable for visiting Mapo Bridge during that time.” He added, “From the perspective of the public, He raised his voice, saying, “It was an inappropriate choice of time and an inappropriate method.”

In response, ruling party lawmakers countered that there was no problem as it was a normal level of security for the first lady. Rep. Cho said, “I am worried that the normal level of security for the president’s wife may become political and lead to wasteful debate.” People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jong-yang said, “(Ms. Kim’s visit) is an event related to suicide prevention, but is that wrong? He defended that “traffic control can be done if necessary depending on the case.”

Kim Bong-sik, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, is answering questions from lawmakers at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency inspection by the Public Administration and Security Committee held at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 15th. Newsis

Commissioner Kim said, “Because they are subject to security, they are included in our police work,” and “Control has the connotation of blocking vehicular traffic for a long period of time, so we call it traffic management, and we apologize for causing misunderstanding as a result.” revealed.

The Democratic Party previously released the transcripts of 112 reports of traffic inconveniences received one after another during the relevant time period by the National Police Agency’s National Inspection. Five inconvenience reports received from 5:52 p.m. to 6:01 p.m. on the same day at the Hongik District of Mapo Police Station in Seoul were, “Traffic police control traffic on the road from Yanghwa Bridge to Gangbyeonbuk-ro. Is the president going?” and “The reason for the traffic control.” It was something like ‘I want to know.’

Reporter Lee Jin-kyung ljin@segye.com

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