Establishment of Human Rights Task Force and Enactment of Investigation Rules... Police Announce 'Human Rights Police Roadmap'

Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong's 'National Report Meeting'
Recruiting External Experts to Oversee Human Rights Policies
Establishment of 'On-site Human Rights Counseling Center' for Direct Public Grievance Listening
Leadership Meetings... "Uninterrupted Police Reform"

Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong of the National Police Agency held a "Public Report Meeting" on the 10th at the police headquarters in Migeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, announcing a police reform roadmap to realize human rights policing.
[Photo by National Police Agency]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The National Police Agency has established a new position, the "Open Human Rights Policy Officer," who will oversee human rights policies, and each police station will also have a dedicated human rights department called the "Audit and Human Rights Officer." Additionally, the "Police Human Rights Protection Investigation Regulations" will be enacted to prevent human rights violations that may occur during investigations.

On the morning of the 10th, Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong held a public briefing at the National Police Agency headquarters and announced the "Police Reform Roadmap for Realizing Human Rights Police," which includes these measures. At the event, Commissioner Kim emphasized, "Human rights are not simply standards that the police must follow, but core values that must be realized through police activities," adding, "We will use this reform plan as momentum to accelerate human rights-centered reforms across all fields."

The police will first institutionalize democratic control over police authority. By recruiting external experts, an Open Human Rights Policy Officer will be newly established at the headquarters to oversee human rights policies and lead investigations into human rights violation cases, thereby performing a practical internal control role. Dedicated human rights departments will be installed at police stations nationwide, and externally, the police have pledged to proactively accept recommendations from the National Human Rights Commission.

A platform will also be created to listen to public grievances related to human rights arising from police activities. "On-site Human Rights Counseling Centers" will be established at 18 metropolitan and provincial police agencies nationwide and two police stations in Seoul, where citizen human rights protectors who are legal and human rights experts will be assigned to provide complaint consultations and on-site relief measures. Furthermore, police activities will be redesigned with the goal of protecting and promoting public human rights, and a "Basic Plan for Police Human Rights Policy" will be established in the second half of this year.

To ensure that the significantly strengthened police investigative authority through investigation rights adjustment does not lead to human rights violations, various measures have been prepared. The "Police Human Rights Protection Investigation Regulations," which stipulate human rights protection principles that frontline investigators must comply with, will be enacted, and a "Defense Counsel Investigation Process Monitoring System" will be introduced to verify compliance with due process and human rights protection through defense attorneys. The use of advanced technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) for victim investigation and support systems will also be actively implemented to prevent secondary damage to victims.

Following the public briefing, Commissioner Kim chaired a nationwide police leadership meeting to share these contents and urged continuous implementation of police reforms. Commissioner Kim said, "Let us practice through action and prove through practice," and added, "I hope this will be an opportunity to strengthen the police's reform will and to be reborn as 'defenders of human rights' who enhance public safety and happiness."

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