Acting Police Chief: "Deploying 2,100 Additional Investigators... Consolidating Missing-Persons Operations Under Criminal Affairs Bureau"

[Financial News] Kim Jongcheol, acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, said at his first regular press briefing since taking office that approximately 2,100 additional investigative personnel would be deployed in response to amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act. Following a series of recent cases involving inadequate responses to missing-person reports, the agency will also overhaul its response system, including by consolidating missing-persons operations under the Criminal Affairs Bureau.
At a press briefing held at the Korean National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the 14th, Kim said, "Restoring public trust is the most urgent task, and the police are working to bring about change with a determination to make painful sacrifices."
He identified missing-persons response and the protection of socially vulnerable people and crime victims as the areas most urgently requiring redesign within the police organization. He also said the agency would pursue measures to enhance the expertise, accountability, and fairness of police investigations in line with changes to the investigative system under the revised Criminal Procedure Act.
Approximately 2,100 investigative personnel are scheduled to be added in this personnel reshuffle. Kim said, "As the investigative system undergoes a fundamental transition, I have heard through various channels about the anxiety and unrest among officers in investigative departments," and pledged to provide additional personnel support if necessary.
According to the police, investigators handled an average of 133.8 cases each last year. After 1,907 personnel were added in the first half of this year, the figure fell to 103. Kim explained that following the latest deployment, the annual number of cases handled per investigator is expected to decline to around 70–80.
He also identified disparities in investigative capabilities among regions and investigators as a challenge. Acknowledging differences between the Seoul metropolitan area and other regions, Kim said the police were pursuing staff expansion, stronger command capabilities among investigative managers, expanded recruitment of specialists in areas such as taxation and accounting, and greater work efficiency through artificial intelligence (AI).
The missing-persons response system will also be reorganized. Education and policy work related to missing persons, currently handled by the Women and Youth Affairs function, and search and investigation duties handled by the Criminal Affairs function will be consolidated under the Criminal Affairs Bureau. Dedicated units for long-term missing-person cases will be established at the Korean National Police Agency and metropolitan and provincial police agencies at the section level. Frontline police stations will also be provided with at least two personnel to respond to missing-person reports at night and on weekends.
The police will also pursue legislation allowing the use of location information and transportation-card usage records when an adult missing person’s life or safety is at urgent risk. Safeguards under consideration include limiting the people subject to information inquiries, notifying the individuals concerned, and imposing penalties for use beyond the stated purpose to prevent abuse.
A comprehensive review of approximately 310,000 missing-person cases from the past three years, launched following a missing-person case in Jeju, covered about 128,000 cases as of last week. Kim said, "It has been confirmed so far that there are no apparent issues." The review is scheduled to continue through November.
Kim also addressed criticism that police reform was merely performative. He said, "I myself have an aversion to performances or actions for show," adding, "Simply saying that we will change and asking people to trust us is meaningless. We will show it through results and achievements." The Police Reform Promotion Team plans to communicate with external reform bodies, including the Prime Minister’s Office and the ruling party, while focusing on serving as a bridge that conveys field opinions and helps reform measures take root in practice.
Officials also provided updates on individual investigations. Regarding the arrest warrant sought by police for lawmaker Kim Byung-gi, which was not filed with the court after prosecutors requested a supplementary investigation, a police official said, "We regret that the arrest warrant we requested was not filed," but added, "We fully respect the supplementary investigation requested by prosecutors and will diligently address it." The police will decide whether to seek the warrant again after the supplementary investigation and said they are "keeping all possibilities open," including referring the case to prosecutors without detention.
Regarding the so-called allegation that Kim Seung-won, a nominee for minister of justice, solicited favors related to a "new drug," two complaints have been filed, and Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station is investigating. The police plan to secure records from the previous investigation and analyze the details of that investigation and the decision-making process at the time.
Regarding Yong Hye-in, the former nominee for minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family who resigned voluntarily the previous day, six complaints were filed between the 2nd and 11th, and Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station is conducting an investigation, including questioning the complainants.
[email protected] Yeji Kim Reporter