Lee urges 'aggressive' police reform to address wrongful practices, systems

President Lee Jae Myung spoke on Wednesday about the urgent need for police reform to tackle wrongful practices and systemic issues. Addressing the nation on Police Day, he highlighted the recent shift in investigative authority following his administration's successful prosecution reforms. These reforms had removed prosecutors' powers to investigate, entrusting them solely with the responsibility of indictments and maintaining legal proceedings.

Lee emphasized that the police must now act with great urgency to address the shortcomings in their current practices and systems. He called for an aggressive pursuit of reform, stressing that this should be a bold step towards rectifying the issues plaguing the police force. The president stressed the importance of fair, law-abiding investigations that operate under clear accountability measures.

In his speech, Lee stressed that the investigative power vested in the police by the people must be wielded with integrity and fairness, adhering strictly to legal principles. He advocated for rigorous scrutiny of investigative processes and their outcomes, ensuring that these remain free from external influence. The president particularly advocated for the creation of a special system dedicated to independently vetting police investigations, a move aimed at enhancing transparency and maintaining the integrity of law enforcement processes.