▲ Kim Seung-ryong, new commissioner general of the National Fire Agency, is seen in this photo provided by Cheong Wa Dae on March 17, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Lee-fire agency chief

Lee promotes deputy fire chief to head of National Fire Agency

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung has appointed Kim Seung-ryong, vice chief of the National Fire Agency, as the agency's new commissioner general, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.

Kim had been serving as acting chief since September last year, after former Commissioner General Heo Seok-gon stepped down amid an investigation into his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid in December 2024.

"Kim is well suited for the post, with the ability to ensure public safety through swift on-site response and precise command in an increasingly complex disaster environment," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

Kim has served in the fire service since 1997, holding various posts, including chief of the Gangwon provincial fire headquarters and senior fire policy official at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

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