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Russia fails bid for Interpol chief amid US protest

Moscow decries US ‘election meddling,’ as South Korean elected to lead police organization

by Asia Times staff November 22, 2018February 18, 2020

Interpol announced on Wednesday that Kim Jong-yang (C) of South Korea had been chosen as its new president, beating a Russian official whose candidacy had unnerved Western nations. Photo: AFP

Interpol has elected South Korean Kim Jong-yang as chief of the international law enforcement organization, following speculation that former Russian interior ministry chief Alexander Prokopchuk was favored to win the role.

#BREAKING: Kim Jong Yang of the Republic of #Korea has been elected President of INTERPOL (2-yr term). #INTERPOLGA pic.twitter.com/6I9HIyUWrf
— INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) November 21, 2018

Kim was serving as acting head of the agency, following the abrupt disappearance of former Interpol president Meng Hongwei, who China later revealed was detained under suspicion of corruption charges.

US lawmakers lobbied against the election of Prokopchuk to replace Meng, alleging that Moscow would abuse Interpol’s “red notice” system to pursue political opposition figures.

Very strong letter from 12 US Senators including @SenatorDurbin @SenatorCardin @SenFeinstein @SenWhitehouse @SenBlumenthal and others arguing against Russia taking over Interpol and using their persecution of me as the example. pic.twitter.com/Rum6a6TpEh
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) November 21, 2018

A spokesman for the Kremlin said that a letter from US Senators opposing Prokopchuk’s candidacy amounted to election meddling, Tass news agency reported.