Acting police chief: “Not expanded investigative powers, but a heavier responsibility” ... vows to structurally prevent shoddy, biased investigations

[Financial News] Kim Jong-cheol, acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, outlined plans to block shoddy and biased investigations and strengthen investigative capabilities to meet the increased responsibility for investigations under the new criminal justice system.
In opening remarks at the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee’s audit of the Korean National Police Agency on the 12th, Kim said, “The police will regard this change not as an expansion of their powers but as a heavier responsibility, and will steadily earn the public’s trust by quietly fulfilling the duties entrusted to us.”
He noted that the criminal justice system underwent a sweeping transformation on the 2nd for the first time in 78 years, placing greater responsibility on the police. He also stressed that the public is closely scrutinizing the police’s investigative capabilities, their level of protection for socially vulnerable groups, and the fairness with which they exercise their powers.
Kim said that protecting the public’s human rights and victims’ rights would be a top priority, and that the police would continue to bolster investigative staffing and expertise. The police would proactively respond to repeated warning signs of risks to victims and focus on protecting them from the initial report through the close of each case.
He also stressed that the police would maintain political neutrality and structurally prevent internal corruption and shoddy or biased investigations. He also outlined plans to establish checks and cooperation with relevant agencies, including the Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, to prevent institutional gaps from harming the public.
He also pledged efforts to reform and improve the police from within. Kim said the Public Participation and Field Partnership Police Reform Task Force would listen directly to the public and allow people to assess police measures on issues of major concern.
The police plan to actively support institutional reforms to disperse and control police powers, including strengthening the role of the Korean National Police Committee and introducing an autonomous police system. They will take an open approach to the National Assembly’s and the government’s efforts to advance police reform and support discussions on related legislation.
Kim said, “All the powers given to the police are delegated by the public,” adding, “We will not conceal problems that emerge in the early stages of implementation. We will communicate closely with the National Assembly and work to address them.”
Kim also said that over the past year, cooperation among relevant agencies to combat voice phishing had reduced both the scale of losses and the number of cases to about half. He also outlined results in tackling crimes affecting people’s livelihoods, including illegal private lending, as well as transnational crime and online drug crimes.
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