Police to launch dedicated body for reform this week

The police are set to launch a dedicated body this week to push for extensive reforms of the police force, according to an official press notice on Sunday. This announcement comes in light of mounting demands for such reform, following a legal amendment that grants the police investigative authority over missing persons cases. The controversy surrounding the premature closure of multiple missing person cases on the southern island of Jeju, where a police officer prematurely declared cases closed without confirming the safety of those reported missing, has sparked calls for reform.

The police agency emphasized that this initiative is part of their commitment to fundamentally reform the police force. Details about the new dedicated body will be announced later, the notice stated. The move follows a briefing for Kim Jong-chul, the new acting head of the Korean National Police Agency, where senior officials discussed key pending issues over the weekend.

Kim Jong-chul, in a statement, stressed the importance of ensuring that police officers in the field are well-informed about the revised investigation procedures. He further instructed officials to ensure that all police officers receive adequate training this month to familiarize themselves with the revised Criminal Code.