National Police Commission: "Police System Reform Must Follow Democracy and Rule of Law"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Police Commission stated on the 15th regarding the police system improvement plan announced by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, "It must be carried out in the right direction according to the spirit of democracy and the principle of the rule of law." In a statement released that day, the National Police Commission emphasized, "'Public security' is not a matter overseen by the Minister of the Interior and Safety," adding, "Even if the Minister of the Interior and Safety oversees public security affairs through the National Police Agency, they cannot directly intervene in police policy and can only be involved through the agenda suspension and reconsideration request rights via the National Police Commission."

Regarding the establishment of the Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the National Police Commission said, "Concerns have been raised about whether only the announced duties will be strictly performed," and added, "In the future, only duties within the scope of authority granted by law should be performed to alleviate these concerns." Concerning the Minister of the Interior and Safety's right to propose personnel appointments, it stated, "There must be no infringement or undermining of the National Police Agency Chief's right to recommend personnel."

On the 'Command Rules for Affiliated Chiefs,' the National Police Commission said, "The command rules of the Minister of the Interior and Safety over the National Police Agency Chief may conflict with the current legal framework," and added, "The establishment of command rules is a matter concerning major police policies and must go through the National Police Commission's deliberation and resolution." Regarding the National Police Commission's rights to deliberate and resolve, it emphasized, "Procedures must be strictly followed."

The National Police Commission expressed, "We actively agree with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's plans to support and develop the police, such as the introduction of a multiple rank system and salary increases, and hope that meaningful results will be achieved." Furthermore, it stated, "The core of police system improvement is citizen control based on the rule of law and democracy," and added, "The National Police Commission will do its best to ensure that the police's democracy, fairness, responsibility, and independence are secured through actualization."

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