Prime Minister Han: 'Police Organizational Culture Needs Reform... Reform Body Hard to House Internally'

Prime Minister Han Sung-sook stated today (the 27th), regarding the discussion on police reform sparked by the "false missing persons case closure," that "it appears there are aspects of the police's overall organizational culture that need to be significantly reformed or changed this time."

Meeting with reporters at the Seoul Government Complex today (the 27th), Prime Minister Han remarked, "The problems in the procedures, sequences, and methods of handling work are so severe that I believe we must set them right."

She went on to criticize the handling of the case, calling it "very shocking" from the occurrence of the false closure to the recent discovery of the victim's body, and adding, "Even thinking as an ordinary citizen, the way the situation was handled is hard to comprehend."

Previously, Prime Minister Han instructed the National Police Agency to thoroughly conduct a full investigation into missing persons cases, take strict measures upon confirming unlawful or improper handling, and improve systems such as separating the personnel handling cases from those closing them.

Regarding the establishment of a police reform body within the Prime Minister's Office, which President Lee Jae-myung recently ordered during a Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Han expressed the view that it would be desirable to create it outside the police organization.

She stated, "Is it really possible to carry out reform from within right now? Reforms must come up with plans that anyone can find acceptable," and added, "While devices, measures, and changes for internal reform are necessary, if it is a body meant to examine the whole picture, I think it would be difficult for it to be located internally."

She also noted, "The number of reports is substantial, and it will be necessary to establish investigation guidelines," while pointing out, "Even so, everyone has come to realize that the approach of handling cases solely by oneself is not right."

However, regarding the perspective linking this issue to the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights, she responded, "This is a problem with the systemic parts inside the police," and added, "As I answered during the National Assembly's Budget and Accounts Special Committee, I do not view it as 'the prosecution will always do things properly, while everything the police do is problematic.'"

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.