(LEAD) Police chief offers to resign after Yoon slams reshuffle announcement flip-flopping

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from 4th para; REPLACES photo)

SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- National Police Agency Commissioner General Kim Chang-yong offered to resign Monday, days after President Yoon Suk-yeol strongly chastised police over a recent personnel reshuffle flip-flopping.

Police released the names of new senior superintendents general a week earlier, only to reverse seven of the selections two hours later. Yoon rebuked police, calling the flip-flopping a "serious disturbance of national discipline."

The resignation offer also came as police have protested the interior ministry's plan to establish a "police bureau" to increase its control of the law enforcement agency set to take over greater investigative roles from the prosecution.

"I determined that resigning now would be the best way," Kim said, offering an apology to the public and policemen for "failing" to safeguard the neutrality and independence of police.

"Throughout history, our society learned that enforcing the police's neutrality and democratization are the key to advancing its services to the public," he said, adding that the establishment of the envisioned police bureau will fundamentally compromise the foundation of the police system.

Kim was appointed under the previous Moon Jae-in administration and his two-year term was to end in late July.

pbr@yna.co.kr
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