ⓒYONHAP News

Kim Jong-yang addressed about a thousand senior law enforcement officials at Interpol's annual general assembly in Dubai following his election as the organization’s chief on Wednesday.

"Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, as we end this meeting, I am honored to have been elected to preside over the executive committee over the next two years. It will also be my honor to chair the next two general assembly sessions of such a versatile and resilient international organization."

Kim told KBS he views international collaboration as crucial in facing the challenge of transnational criminals around the world.

"There are various issues threatening [people's] safety in this world. I will cooperate with member states to wisely cope with such problems... The most decisive [factor] in my election was that I am from Korea, and secondly that I was a Korean policeman." 

Kim defeated Russia's Alexander Prokopchuk after winning a two-thirds majority in a vote by secret ballot.

U.S. and European politicians raised concerns over possible Kremlin interference in Interpol operations and lobbied against Prokopchuk's candidacy.

Moscow criticized other countries for their opposition to the Russian national, but Interpol's Secretary-General Jurgen Stock offered assurance that the election was transparently conducted.

"No matter of course what the nationality of the president is, it's not affecting Interpol's neutrality and the independence of our organization."

Fifty-seven-year-old Kim had been serving as Interpol's acting president, and had also been the vice president representing Asia on its executive committee since 2015. Before that, he led South Korea's Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency.

Kim's election follows the disappearance of Interpol's former chief Meng Hongwei in September. Kim will serve as world police chief for the remainder of the current mandate ending in 2020.