Police Committee "Regret over the Launch of the Police Bureau... Reviewing Measures to Restore Legality in Public Security Administration"

The Police Bureau, an organization responsible for police affairs within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, officially launched on the 2nd. The photo shows the office of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Police Bureau set up inside the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Police Commission expressed regret on the 2nd regarding the launch of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Police Bureau, stating, "We have continuously raised issues concerning legal and legislative frameworks, but we regret that such opinions have not been reflected at all and the implementation is proceeding as is."

All seven members of the Police Commission held a press conference at the National Police Agency on the same day, saying, "We will actively consider measures to restore the legality of public security administration." The National Police Commission emphasized that during the implementation of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s police system improvement policy, which centers on the establishment of the Police Bureau, they will closely examine whether ▲ the Minister of the Interior and Safety exercises legal authority only within the necessary and minimum scope as intended, ▲ the National Police Agency is not performing public security duties that are its inherent tasks, and ▲ the Police Commissioner’s personnel recommendation rights are not being hollowed out.

The National Police Commission also stressed that the Police Commission is a collegial decision-making body with binding authority on deliberation and resolution. They stated, "Even the 2019 legal interpretation by the Ministry of Government Legislation, cited by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as evidence that the National Police Commission is merely an advisory committee, explicitly states that it is a collegial decision-making body with binding authority," adding, "We will responsibly deliberate and resolve follow-up measures expected to be discussed at the Prime Minister’s Police System Development Committee."

The National Police Commission claims that all matters discussed by the Police System Development Committee, as stipulated in Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the Police System Development Committee (Prime Minister’s Directive), fall under the Police Commission’s deliberation and resolution. The Commission stated, "We once again emphasize that when implementing detailed plans based on the final recommendations of the Police System Development Committee and proceeding with subsequent procedures such as the enactment and amendment of laws under the jurisdiction of the National Police Agency, the Police Commission’s deliberation and resolution must be obtained."

The National Police Commission also urged the realization of the Commission’s substantive role through legislation by the National Assembly. They said, "If democratic control over the police is necessary, it should be achieved through the realization of the National Police Commission’s role as stipulated by law. This has been the consistent position of the Commission, and most opinions from constitutional and administrative law scholars agree," adding, "We urge the swift amendment of the 'Act on the Organization and Operation of the National Police and Autonomous Police,' focusing on the bills currently submitted to the National Assembly."

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