'Objection to Police Investigation' Most Requests for Investigation Review... Rapid Increase in Acknowledgment of Errors

One Year Since the Adjustment of Prosecution and Police Investigation Rights
<Part 1> Distrust Has Grown More Than Trust

Last Year 1,679 Cases → This Year 2,397 Cases
165 Measures Taken, Accounting for 6.9% of Total
Police: "Increased Interest Due to Enhanced Publicity"
Experts: "Fundamental Reason Is Distrust"

A view of the National Police Agency and the National Investigation Headquarters under the National Police Agency. With the implementation of the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and the police, the National Investigation Headquarters under the National Police Agency, which oversees and directs police investigations, is also marking its first anniversary.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Since the investigation authority adjustment implemented in January this year, the police have gained the right to conclude primary investigations. Expectations and concerns have been mixed regarding the police, who now hold more authority than before. After one year, indicators show that distrust in the police has increased rather than trust. The number of investigation review requests, which can be made when parties involved in a case believe that the appropriateness of the police's preliminary investigation or investigation procedures or results has been significantly violated, has surged.

According to data obtained by Asia Economy from the National Police Agency on the 23rd, the number of investigation review requests reached 2,397 by October this year. Compared to 1,390 cases in 2018, 1,504 in 2019, and 1,679 in 2020, this shows a steep increase within one year. Among the 2,397 cases received this year, 165 cases, or 6.9% of the total, have been acted upon, showing an increasing trend in both number and proportion.

Among the 165 cases, there were 45 orders for supplementation or reinvestigation, 20 orders for expedited processing, 10 orders for department reassignment, and 90 others. By city and province, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency had the highest number of investigation review requests at 689 cases. This was followed by the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency with 244 cases, Busan Police Agency with 231 cases, and Gyeongnam Police Agency with 163 cases. The number of actions taken was also highest in Seoul with 43 cases, followed by Gyeonggi Nambu (32 cases), Daejeon (18 cases), and Busan (14 cases). At the National Assembly inspection held in October, the Seoul Police Agency explained that if serious violations are found during the investigation review process in the future, they will request an investigation by the police inspection department and, if necessary, request disciplinary action through hearings.

Since 2019, police officers found guilty of investigative errors have received disciplinary actions ranging from dismissal, discharge, demotion, and suspension to lighter penalties such as pay reduction and reprimand, with reprimand being the mildest form of discipline. In 2019, a police lieutenant from the Gwangju Police Agency and a sergeant from the Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency received reprimands, and last year, a lieutenant from the Gyeonggi Bukbu Police Agency was reprimanded. This year, in October and November, sergeants from the Gyeonggi Bukbu and Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agencies received reprimands.

A police official commented on the increase in investigation review requests, saying, "As the police make non-prosecution decisions on cases without charges, the public's interest in an internal objection system regarding police investigations has increased," and added, "Within the police, promotion of the review request system has been strengthened, so the number of investigation review requests is naturally increasing."

Experts interpret this as underlying distrust in the police. Professor Lee Yun-ho, Chair Professor of the Department of Police Science at Korea Cyber University, said, "There are various reasons for the increase in investigation review requests and actions, including system promotion, public interest, and increased authority due to investigation authority adjustment, but the most fundamental reason is the entrenched distrust in the police," adding, "If the police conduct investigations that meet the public's expectations and legal sentiments, trust can be restored."

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