Full Implementation of the 'Autonomous Police System' on the 1st... Mayor Oh Se-hoon Reviews Key Tasks on Public Welfare and Security

On the 2nd, Local Police Duties Performed On-site at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for the 'Seoul Local Police Commission Launch Ceremony'
Review and Discussion of Detailed Local Police Pilot Projects, Commendation of Police Officers in Charge of Local Police Affairs

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 1st, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced that on the 2nd, to mark the full implementation of the ‘Autonomous Police System,’ a ‘Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee Launch Ceremony’ will be held at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the frontline site performing autonomous police duties. The ceremony will be attended by Jang Ha-yeon, Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Kim Hak-bae, Chairman of the Autonomous Police Committee, and members of the Autonomous Police Committee.

Mayor Oh will review key public safety and security tasks to be promoted through the autonomous police system and visit the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to award mayoral commendations to five outstanding personnel responsible for autonomous police duties in areas such as community safety, traffic, and local security. The main achievements of the five police officers receiving the mayoral commendation include protection measures for emergency relief recipients, contributions to community safety such as prevention of sexual crimes against women and youth, securing traffic safety at various mass gatherings, and promotion of the autonomous police system.

With the implementation of the autonomous police system, autonomous police officers at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and 31 police stations will carry out autonomous police duties closely related to residents’ lives, such as community safety and security activities, protection and crime prevention for women and youth, and guidance and enforcement against traffic violations, under the command and control of the ‘Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee.’

The ‘Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee’ is a consensus-based administrative body under the mayor, responsible for deliberation and resolution of major policies related to autonomous police duties such as community safety, traffic, and local security, coordination with the National Police Agency regarding administrative matters, auditing autonomous police affairs, and handling grievances. It consists of seven members, with the inaugural chairman being Kim Hak-bae, former Chief of the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency.

Seoul City plans to proactively promote tasks with high citizen impact, such as ‘Strengthening Safety Management of Hangang Parks’ and ‘Prevention and Response to Child Abuse,’ and to additionally identify detailed tasks requiring collaboration between local administration and police administration.

Regarding Hangang Parks, although they are spaces frequently visited by citizens without burden, cases of eating and drinking in the parks have increased since COVID-19, and recent fatal accidents involving university students have heightened awareness and importance of safety management. Previously, city administrative personnel mainly handled patrol and guidance duties, and police were deployed in case of accidents; going forward, the city and police plan to jointly strengthen patrol and enforcement duties.

Additionally, joint flexible patrols will be conducted at least once daily during vulnerable times, and Community Safety Officers (CSO), who handle autonomous police duties, will be intensively deployed to carry out foot patrol activities. Crime prevention diagnostics will be conducted, and additional safety infrastructure will be established in vulnerable areas.

In the long term, there is a goal to establish a separate patrol unit tailored to the characteristics of Hangang Parks, tentatively named the ‘Hangang Park Patrol Unit.’ The city plans to actively request an increase in police personnel from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. This unit will regularly patrol the 11 Hangang Parks in Seoul by time zones, conduct focused patrols during day and night hours, and enforce regulations against disturbances such as public intoxication and violence.

Regarding ‘Prevention and Response to Child Abuse,’ Seoul City and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency signed an MOU on May 12 to announce strengthened measures for child abuse response and prevention, and plans to establish a system to enhance effectiveness.

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