"Reporting Duty for Concealment or Toleration of Sexual Crimes"... Comprehensive Measures for Police Sexual Crimes 추진

Kim Chang-ryong, the newly appointed Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, is attending the inauguration ceremony held at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the 24th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Police officers who condone or conceal sexual crime cases will face duty accusations, and the police organization's response to sexual crimes will be further strengthened.

The National Police Agency announced on the 24th that it plans to establish and implement a "Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention and Eradication of Police Sexual Crimes" to eradicate sexual crimes committed by police officers.

The comprehensive plan includes the introduction of a "Police Chief (Manager) Sexual Crime Responsibility System," which requires managers to take active measures regarding sexual crime cases involving police officers. Measures are being considered to file duty accusations against police officers who are aware of sexual crime cases but aid, condone, or conceal them.

Additionally, guidelines tailored to different sexual harassment targets and situations will be prepared, aiming to present specific and detailed response procedures for sexual crime cases.

In particular, personnel records will be managed for 10 years to ensure that perpetrators and victims do not work in the same department, and key position appointment restrictions will be imposed on perpetrators. Furthermore, interviews will be strengthened from the recruitment stage to appoint police officers with gender sensitivity, and enhanced gender equality education programs will be operated for new police officers.

Sexual crimes by police officers peaked at 83 cases in 2017, then decreased to 58 cases in 2018, 53 cases last year, but showed signs of increasing again with 28 cases reported up to June this year. Notably, last month, a police officer in charge of protecting North Korean defectors at the Seocho Police Station in Seoul was accused of sexually assaulting a North Korean defector woman.

Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, emphasized, "To eradicate sexual crimes within the police, the entire organization must unite and change its culture, not just one department or individual, and especially the responsibility of commanders is heavy," adding, "Starting from this comprehensive plan, we will fundamentally change the organizational culture and awareness and create an atmosphere where sexual crimes are absolutely not tolerated."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.