"Preventing Secondary Harm from Disasters" National Police Agency Establishes Investigation Team

[Financial News] The police have formed a dedicated team to investigate secondary harm related to the Sewol ferry disaster and other incidents and to eradicate related crimes.
The National Police Agency announced on the 28th that it has established a 'Secondary Harm Crime Investigation Team' within the Investigation Bureau of the National Investigation Headquarters.
Under the investigation team led by a superintendent, an investigation planning unit and an investigation squad have been organized. They are responsible for direct investigations and also oversee and supervise investigations of incidents by provincial police agencies. They also carry out policy planning, legal and institutional research, victim protection, and deletion/blocking of illegal posts to eradicate secondary harm. The team consists of a total of 19 members. A 'Secondary Harm Crime Dedicated Investigation Team' has also been formed in the cyber investigation units of provincial police agencies nationwide.
The police plan to look into defamation, insults, threats, assault, injury, fraud, etc., targeting victims and victims' families of major disasters and incidents.
Preventive activities will also be conducted to raise social awareness of secondary harm crimes. In collaboration with 'Nuricops', a group of citizens interested in preventing cybercrime, they will focus on requesting the deletion/blocking of online posts related to secondary harm. Education will also be provided through cyber prevention instructors.
The police have been forming temporary special investigation units to investigate related crimes whenever national disasters, such as the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster at the end of last year, occur. However, as secondary harm crimes targeting social disasters continue, the need for strong punishment has been raised. President Lee Jaemyung has ordered the police to establish a dedicated organization for this purpose.
A police official stated, "We will recognize that defamation or insulting posts targeting victims are criminal acts and will strive for social self-purification efforts."
unsaid@fnnews.com Kang Myung-yeon Reporter