▲ Police body camera (The photo above is not related to the contents of this article.)
It has been belatedly confirmed that a public institution reviewed a 19-billion-won police body camera project and concluded that the supplied equipment is likely of Chinese manufacture, amid suspicions that Chinese-made devices were delivered.
According to investigative authorities on September 22, the Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL), affiliated with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, notified the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) in June with a similarity review result stating that the body cameras distributed to frontline police officers are highly likely identical to products from a Chinese company.
The KTL reportedly concluded that the two products share nearly identical appearances, parts, and assembly methods, indicating they were effectively manufactured by the same company.
Previously, the KNPA pursued a body camera introduction project with a total budget of 19.486 billion won through 2029 to replace body cameras that frontline police officers had been purchasing out of pocket with official equipment.
In July of last year, the KNPA selected a consortium consisting of KT and terminal procurement company A as the project operator, and distributed about 14,000 body cameras to frontline units such as district police divisions and box offices during the second half of that year.
Amid reports that the body cameras were similar in function and appearance to a product from a Chinese firm, the KNPA verified the facts and requested the Gyeongnam Southern Provincial Police Agency's Security Investigation Department in June to investigate Company A's consortium and others on charges of fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes and obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means.
An official from the Gyeongnam Southern Provincial Police Agency stated, "It is true that the KTL's similarity review returned a response indicating that the body cameras distributed to the front lines are likely Chinese-made equipment," adding, "We are continuing our investigation by referencing data from other specialized institutions as well."
The official added, "At this stage, we cannot confirm the investigation details of those booked under criminal charges or the appraisal results from the National Forensic Service."
Apart from the investigation, the KNPA has commissioned a private specialized firm to conduct a rigorous inspection of security vulnerabilities in the body cameras.
The detailed inspection aims to identify potential backdoors (secret passages allowing unauthorized access to systems) and check whether footage recorded by the body cameras could be leaked.
An official from the KNPA said, "When we conducted a preliminary inspection of the body cameras in June right after receiving related tips, no security vulnerabilities were found, but we commissioned a detailed inspection determining that a more thorough check was necessary," adding, "In addition to the KNPA's internal verification and the investigation by the Gyeongnam Southern Provincial Police Agency, the Board of Audit and Inspection is also conducting an on-site audit."
(Photo: Provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
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