South Korea seeks swift police reform

  • 5 years ago
당정청 "국가수사본부 신설 추진•경찰 외부통제 강화"

South Korea will seek to establish a state investigative agency that will manage probes by the police,... as part of plans to reform the police organization.
The decision was reached between the ruling Democratic Party, the government and the presidential office on Monday.
The three sides said the agency will be aimed at preventing high-ranking officers or those not related to investigations from intervening.
They also agreed to push to revise laws to block intelligence officers from becoming involved in illegal acts, such as surveillance of civilians or political intervention.
This comes amid concerns the police may become too powerful... after the National Assembly introduced a bill that would boost their investigative rights,... by diluting those of the prosecution.
The three sides said... the bill is not about empowering a particular organization,... but instead balancing their powers to keep each side in check.
They also vowed to draw up further measures to ensure the police don't abuse their power,... as well as speed up efforts to introduce an autonomous police system under which some authority will be transferred to local governments from the state police.

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