Police Agency Evaluates Ministry of Interior and Safety's Police System Improvement Plan as Securing Independence of Police Administration

Dark clouds hang over the Seoul Seodaemun-gu Police Agency building on the 15th, ahead of the announcement of the "Police System Improvement Plan," which includes the establishment of the Police Bureau, a police work organization, and the enactment of command rules by the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety over the Commissioner of the National Police Agency. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] On the 15th, the National Police Agency stated regarding the police system improvement implementation plan announced by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, "We will do our best to ensure that the essential ideology and values of the police system are never compromised in any situation during the operation of the system." Through a statement released that day, the National Police Agency added, "Although it is regrettable that we could not fully meet the hopes and expectations of our field colleagues, we will carefully monitor the implementation phase to prevent any concerns from the public and police colleagues."

Earlier, since the 8th, the National Police Agency had formed a working-level consultative body with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to discuss measures for improving the police system. The National Police Agency said, "Considering the high internal and external interest in police system improvement and its impact on the public, we engaged in consultations with a heavier sense of mission and responsibility than ever before." It further explained, "During the consultation process, there were in-depth discussions between the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which emphasized the need for institutional arrangements for the minister’s exercise of authority under the law, and the National Police Agency, which insisted that the neutrality and accountability of the police must be guaranteed."

As a result of these discussions, the National Police Agency evaluated that a police support organization was established within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, with most members, including the person in charge, appointed as police officers, and the scope of work limited to supporting the minister’s exercise of legal authority, thereby securing the autonomy of police administration. It also added that the minister’s command regulations exclude matters related to police investigations or inspections to ensure that the neutrality of the police is not compromised.

The improvement plan includes many tasks aimed at improving working conditions for field police officers and strengthening public security capabilities, such as salary levels comparable to those of public security officials, expansion of senior positions for general personnel, introduction of a multiple rank system, and reinforcement of investigative personnel. Regarding this, the National Police Agency stated, "We will make every effort to realize the long-standing wishes of the field as soon as possible."

The National Police Agency said, "During this discussion process, many field police officers expressed various opinions out of concern for the future of the police," adding, "We will sincerely communicate, even if slowly, so that this passion can become a unified energy for the police and that the concerns and worries of the field can be transformed into pride and confidence." The National Police Agency also emphasized, "We will do our best to make this discussion a new turning point for the development of the police."

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