'What Happened?' Bewilderment Within the Agency... Office of the President: "President Orders Fact-Finding Inspection of Fire Commissioner" (Update)

The Office of the President announced on May 22, 2026, that it has launched an inspection into Kim Seung-ryong, Commissioner of the National Fire Agency. While the reason for the inspection has not been disclosed, there is reportedly a sense of bewilderment within the agency.

Chief Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung stated in a notice to reporters that day, "President Lee Jaemyung has ordered an immediate fact-finding investigation into the Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, and an inspection has begun."

Yonhap News Agency

Although the inspection is said to be related to personal misconduct, the Office of the President has not released any specific details. It is reported that staff within the National Fire Agency are taken aback by the sudden inspection.

On this day, one media outlet quoted a government official as saying that Commissioner Kim’s case is similar to a previous incident involving the chief of Seoul Seongdong Police Station, who circumvented the alternate-day driving system for public institution vehicles by commuting in an official emergency response vehicle. In political circles, there are also reports that suspicions have been raised regarding Commissioner Kim’s use of business promotion expenses or allegations of abuse of authority.

Commissioner Kim was promoted in March this year, after having served as acting commissioner since September last year when then-Commissioner Heo Seok-gon was suspended from his position over allegations of involvement in the 12·3 Martial Law. Until the day before the inspection, Kim had continued his external activities, including delivering a keynote speech at the 2026 International Fire Safety Expo held at EXCO in Daegu.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.