Seoul: South Korea's new acting police chief, Kim Jong-chul, emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive "redesign" of the police agency to restore public trust, which has been severely affected by recent high-profile scandals.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the police have been under significant public scrutiny following multiple allegations of misconduct. One of the most notable cases involved an improperly closed missing person case on the southern island of Jeju. The case drew public outrage when it was discovered that a police officer had closed the investigation without confirming the safety of the missing woman. Her body was discovered last week after her boyfriend reported her missing in May.
Kim Jong-chul expressed his concerns, stating, "I am worried that public distrust of police investigations and administrative affairs has surpassed a critical point." He stressed the importance of examining every detail of police work to the extent that it could be described as a redesign.
The acting chief also addressed concerns regarding the scrapping of the prosecution's authority to conduct supplementary investigations. This change is set to leave the primary investigative authority with the police. Last month, the Cabinet approved a legal revision to abolish prosecutors' authority to conduct direct investigations, including supplementary investigations, with the revision taking effect on October 2.
Kim, who previously served as the chief of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, was appointed as the NPA's deputy commissioner general on Tuesday. He will serve as the acting head of the agency amid a prolonged vacancy in the top post.