Kim Jong Yang (Korean김종양; Hanja金鍾陽; born 30 October 1961) is a South Korean politician and police officer who was the 29th president of Interpol from 2018 to 2021.

Kim Jong Yang
김종양
Member of the National Assembly
Assumed office
30 May 2024
Preceded byKim Yeong-seon
President of Interpol
In office
21 November 2018 – 24 November 2021
Acting: 7 October 2018 — 20 November 2018
Secretary-GeneralJürgen Stock
Preceded byMeng Hongwei
Succeeded byAhmed Naser Al-Raisi
Personal details
Born (1961-10-30) 30 October 1961 (age 63)
Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea
Political partyPeople Power
Alma materKorea University
Seoul National University
Dongguk University
OccupationPolice officer
Korean name
Hangul
김종양
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGim Jongyang
McCune–ReischauerKim Chongyang

Prior to his Interpol career, Kim was Commissioner of Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency,[1] the law enforcement agency for South Korea's most populous province.[2] As a police chief, Kim took part in efforts to spread South Korean policing strategies to other nations, including the Philippines, through financial assistance and training programs.[3]

In 2015 Kim was elected as Interpol's vice-president for Asia.[4][5]

Following the arrest and detainment of Interpol President Meng Hongwei in China, Kim took on the role of Acting President.[6]

Although Interpol Vice-President and Russian interior ministry official Alexander Prokopchuk had been widely tipped to be Meng's successor, at a meeting in Dubai on 18–21 November 2018 Kim was elected to serve the remaining two years of Meng's term.[7][5] Prokopchuk's candidacy had been opposed by Western nations, which had objected to the Russian government's abuses of Interpol red notices to target dissidents and political opponents.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "South Korean Kim Jong-yang Elected New Head of Interpol". Korean Broadcasting System. 21 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Interpol elects South Korean as its president, in blow to Russia". The Guardian. November 21, 2018.
  3. ^ Ock Hyun-ju. "After K-pop, Korea eyes 'K-cop wave'". The Korea Herald. December 4, 2015.
  4. ^ "New members elected to INTERPOL Executive Committee" (Press release). INTERPOL. 5 November 2015. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Russia loses Interpol presidency vote". BBC News. 21 November 2018.
  6. ^ Eliott C. McLaughlin; Saskya Vandoorne; Ben Westcott (8 October 2018). "Chinese government admits head of Interpol 'under investigation' after disappearance". CNN. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Missing Interpol President Meng Hongwei resigns, new chief to be elected in November". Indian Express. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018. Senior Vice-President Kim Jong Yang of South Korea will be the acting president of the international criminal police organization until the new president is elected at a meeting in Dubai on 18–21 November, Interpol said.
Positions in intergovernmental organisations
Preceded by President of Interpol
2018–2021
Succeeded by