Kim Jong-chul, the new acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, convened a nationwide police command meeting immediately after taking office and said reforming the force would be the top priority. Kim set the meeting's slogan as "We will rebuild the police from the ground up through painful reflection and thorough reform," and reviewed key issues including police reform, an overhaul of missing-person investigations and preparations for the revised Criminal Procedure Act.
According to the police, the nationwide command meeting was held at 9 a.m. on the 3rd under Kim's chairmanship, attended by the head of the National Office of Investigation and the chiefs of metropolitan and provincial police agencies, along with other senior officials of the agency. It marked the first time that a newly reshuffled police command gathered in one place for a meeting before taking up their posts in the field.
The police said the meeting was convened to demonstrate a commitment to rebuilding the organization from its foundations in order to restore public trust, which has been damaged by the recent false closure of a missing-person case on Jeju Island and the Jang Yun-gi case.
The metropolitan and provincial police chiefs who attended the meeting were assigned under a rule barring officers from serving in regions where they have personal ties. They pledged to break free from favoritism and the temptation of corruption and to devote themselves to public safety for local residents.
The meeting also addressed key issues aimed at restoring public trust and strengthening policing capabilities. On fundamental reform of the response system for missing-person cases, participants agreed to review and improve the entire process — from intake to search and investigation, management and oversight — to prevent cases from being handled poorly or left unattended.
The agency also decided to reassess the duties and the command and oversight structure of the entire organization from square one. The National Police Agency plans to form a police reform task force to pursue changes systematically, examining not only its structure and rules but also working practices in the field and organizational culture.
Preparations for the revised Criminal Procedure Act were reviewed as well. Kim said the agency would expand its investigative workforce and build up capabilities so that the institutional changes do not create gaps in relief for crime victims or in case handling.
In his opening remarks, Kim said, "In this first address to the people, before any promise, I offer words of reflection and apology." He added, "I will not evade or make excuses about the question of whether the police can be trusted. Nor will I end this by blaming only the faults of individual officers."
Kim continued, "On the handling of missing-person cases, we will establish a response system that does not miss the golden time for public safety — covering initial response, reporting, command, closure and ultimate accountability — and if improper conduct is confirmed, we will hold those responsible strictly to account regardless of rank or position." He added, "We will make sure that acts undermining the fairness and independence of investigations, acts that downplay or cover up cases, and acts that give the public explanations contrary to the facts can no longer find a foothold in the police."
On changes to the criminal justice system, Kim said, "We will dispel concerns about buried cases and shoddy or unfair investigations, and prepare institutional measures across police investigations to raise investigative capability and expertise." He added, "If the police lose the trust of the people, there is no reason for the police to exist. All of us in the police command must keep this grave fact in mind and rebuild the police from the ground up through painful reflection and thorough reform."
