President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday urged South Korean police to pursue continuous reform and innovation to earn the public’s trust, noting that the force will gain greater authority as part of ongoing judicial reforms transferring investigative powers from prosecutors to police, along with the gradual expansion of the local police system.
“The only foundation for the public authority entrusted to police is the people’s trust,” he said at a ceremony marking Police Day at the National Police Agency headquarters in Seoul.
“The people are asking a serious question — whether greater police authority will make their lives better,” he said. “The police must be ready to give a sincere answer.”
The remark came after South Korea’s National Assembly last month approved a bill to dismantle the nation’s central prosecutorial body, separating its powers of investigation and indictment — a move that effectively ends prosecutorial oversight of police investigations.
With police assuming full responsibility for investigations starting next year, Lee urged the force to strengthen “accountability, fairness and professionalism” of its work to build a system worthy of public trust.
Lee also said the force must evolve into “smart police” capable of tackling emerging threats such as narcotics, voice phishing and deepfake-related cybercrime. He urged stronger international and interagency cooperation and the adoption of advanced artificial intelligence technology for crime prevention, pledging government support for related institutional reforms.
Calling for a police force that protects people’s daily lives, Lee asked officers to act swiftly and proactively to prevent tragedies caused by dating violence or stalking. “There should be no more loss of precious lives due to delayed responses,” he said.
On South Korea’s growing drug problem, Lee called for a coordinated approach that integrates investigation, treatment and rehabilitation. “Only by strengthening responses across the entire distribution chain — from supply to use — can we keep drugs from infiltrating everyday life,” he said.
“There is no such thing as ‘overreaction’ when it comes to protecting the lives and safety of the people,” Lee added.
Specifically referencing the night of Dec. 3, 2024, Lee also noted that a small number of senior police officials sided with former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law, underscoring the dangers of police losing their political neutrality.
“We will secure the political neutrality of the police and strengthen democratic control so that the force can fully stand as a guardian of the Constitution and the people,” he said.
He added that his government would “press ahead with reforms — from abolishing the Interior Ministry’s police bureau to empowering the National Police Commission — to build a truly democratic police that serves the people.”
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