Police Chief: "Decisive Use of Physical Force Against Acts Threatening Public Life and Safety"

Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong of the National Police Agency. / Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Amid controversies over the police's repeated inadequate responses, the Commissioner of the National Police Agency has ordered on-site officers to exercise decisive physical force.

On the afternoon of the 24th, Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong sent a letter to police nationwide, stating, "Use necessary physical force decisively against acts that threaten the lives and safety of the public." This follows recent controversies over inadequate responses in the Incheon inter-floor noise stabbing incident and the stalking murder case in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Commissioner Kim expressed, "I feel more sorrowful and distressed than ever," adding, "In both cases, the police were not present at the scene when the public needed them most. This is a grave crisis." He continued, "The public's trust that 'the police will protect us at any moment' is being shaken," and emphasized, "We must change. This is the stern command of the people."

Kim also stated, "I will devote myself to expanding the institutional foundation so that officers can confidently enforce the law on-site," and stressed, "We will do our utmost to protect individuals from harm caused by actions taken in good faith."

Furthermore, Commissioner Kim announced plans to optimize on-site response capabilities and to expand equipment and budgets to make the use and handling of weapons such as pistols more natural, with repeated training.

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