Ministry of the Interior Advisory Committee to Announce 'Police Control Plan' This Afternoon... Likely to Include Establishment of Police Bureau and Enactment of Command Rules

'Police System Improvement Advisory Committee' Announces Recommendations After 4 Meetings...Strong Opposition from Frontline Police
Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of National Police Agency, Plans to Convene Video Conference with Provincial Police Chiefs After Announcement

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The 'Police System Improvement Advisory Committee,' launched as the first directive of Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, will disclose recommendations centered on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's control over the police.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 21st, the advisory committee will announce the system improvement recommendations derived from four meetings at the Government Seoul Office this afternoon. Han Chang-seop, Deputy Minister and co-chair of the advisory committee, and lawyer Hwang Jeong-geun will lead the briefing. The advisory committee consists of one police officer, six civilian members, and two Ministry of the Interior and Safety officials.

Since April 13, the advisory committee has held four meetings discussing police organization and personnel matters. The recommendations prepared this time are expected to include the establishment of the Presidential Police Reform Committee, which has been increasingly controversial, the creation of a police bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the enactment of police command regulations by the minister, and the strengthening of the minister's personnel authority.

The advisory committee is reportedly recommending the establishment of a police bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to directly control the police, whose powers have relatively increased due to the complete separation of prosecution's investigative and prosecutorial rights. The recommendations are also expected to include institutional measures such as the enactment of a tentative police command regulation that codifies the minister's authority to command the police and the enhancement of the minister's personnel authority over the police.

Additionally, the recommendations are said to include placing the secretariat of the National Police Commission, which has been responsible for deliberation and resolution, under the authority of the Minister of the Interior and Safety. Furthermore, the advisory committee is expected to propose the establishment of a tentative Presidential Police Reform Committee directly under the president to clarify the scope of police duties.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The announcement of the recommendations is expected to further intensify the controversy surrounding police control. Already, banners opposing the direction of the advisory committee's recommendations have been hung at frontline police stations, and police workplace associations nationwide are raising their voices demanding the Ministry of the Interior and Safety cease its intervention in police security administration.

Police Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong also canceled his scheduled European trip this week ahead of the advisory committee's announcement and held an emergency meeting with senior officials at the director level and above. Commissioner Kim plans to review the advisory committee's recommendations and convene a video conference with provincial police chiefs to officially state his position.

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