Lee tells police to reform as their powers grow, citing shaken public trust

President Lee Jae-myung attended the 81st Police Day ceremony on Oct. 21 and told police that, with their authority greater than ever, their responsibility has grown too. The ceremony was held at the police agency in Seodaemun District, Seoul, under the theme 'A police force leaping anew, protecting the safety of the people even more firmly', and was broadcast live on KTV and other channels. Yonhap said bereaved families of this year's police heroes and of officers killed on duty, officers in the field and new police trainees attended. [ 1 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]

In his address Lee said: 'Please keep in mind that as the criminal justice system maintained for more than 70 years has been fully overhauled, police authority has become weightier than ever and police responsibility has grown accordingly.' He said recent relationship-based crimes and crimes with abnormal motives against unspecified people had shaken trust in the police and raised public anxiety, and that this had to be taken seriously. He also said a few officers' misconduct and inadequate responses could erode the trust and reputation of the whole organisation. [ 4 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]

Lee said trust cannot be restored with words alone, and called for 'bone-cutting' effort that citizens can feel. He asked police to look coldly at what had been lacking and to correct wrong practices and systems boldly. Newsis reported that he made four main requests, and SBS reported that he said police should admit mistakes honestly when they come to light and not avoid public criticism. [ 4 , 9 , 11 ]

On oversight, he asked for democratic control and accountability matching the expanded investigative powers. He said unjust outside interference should be blocked while investigation processes and results are strictly checked, and asked police to strengthen the substantive role of the National Police Commission and put in place a way to check investigations independently. He also asked them to work closely with the prosecution service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency so that the absence of supplementary investigation power does not leave gaps or harm citizens. Kyunghyang Shinmun, citing the revised Criminal Procedure Act, said prosecutors' supplementary investigation power has been abolished. [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 16 ]

On crime response, Lee said stalking and other relationship-based crimes, and random crimes against unspecified people, should shift from after-the-fact response to prevention. He asked police not to miss the golden time in missing-person cases and to cooperate swiftly with agencies at disaster sites. He called for a subcommittee for socially vulnerable groups under the Investigation Review Committee, strict investigation of jeonse fraud, investment fraud and improper receipt of state subsidies, and recovery of illegal proceeds. SBS and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that he also asked police to speed up an AI-based next-generation 112 system. [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 16 ]

Lee thanked officers and their families, promised not to forget officers killed on duty, and, according to Maeil Business, said the government would actively support police. Yonhap noted that at the cabinet meeting the day before he had said that without public trust, even great authority is a castle in the sand. Dong-A Ilbo said the speech followed recent cases including police handling of the killer of a female high school student, the closure of a Jeju missing-person case, and stalking, dating violence, domestic violence and serial arson. [ 1 , 6 , 7 , 11 , 17 ]