Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min says he will consider the replacement of Kim Soon-ho, the inaugural head of the interior ministry’s unit designed to oversee police operations, amid the allegation that Kim had betrayed his fellow labor activists in return for a career as a police officer. 

In a policy briefing session at the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee on Thursday, Lee showed somewhat reserved attitudes on his choice after facing criticism from main opposition Democratic Party lawmakers. 

Kim, a former student activist when attending Sungkyunkwan University in the 1980s, is suspected of having worked as a secret agent for police and launched and built a successful career in the law enforcement agency thanks to his spying activities on former activist colleagues. 

Minister Lee said he did not know of the suspicions surrounding Kim’s past, adding that he chose him for the job because of his diligence during his rise from the lowest-rank officer to a senior superintendent in 30 years. 

Meanwhile, Kim denied all allegations against him while attending the same parliamentary briefing session.