The Korean National Police Agency announced today (September 6) that it will launch a dedicated police reform task force sometime next week.

The head of the task force will be a senior superintendent-level official.

In a media briefing today, the National Police Agency stated, "This is to keep our promise to fundamentally reform the police," adding that the specific organization structure and direction of promotion will be explained upon its launch.

Previously, the National Police Agency announced plans to establish a "Police Reform Promotion Team" to thoroughly review not only the organization and systems, but also frontline operational methods and organizational culture from scratch.

Acting National Police Agency Commissioner General Kim Jong-chul received work reports from police executives over a two-day period starting yesterday and reviewed major pending issues.

"It is important for frontline officers to clearly understand and implement changed investigation procedures," Acting Commissioner General Kim ordered, instructing that details regarding the revised Criminal Procedure Act be shared with all employees and that sufficient training be conducted during September.

He also noted, "The frontline is crucial for the settlement of the changed criminal justice system," and directed officials to "examine personnel systems and other measures to ensure that competent and dedicated personnel can continue working in investigative departments without leaving."

Acting Commissioner General Kim emphasized, "The police organization can only change when the frontline changes, and only then can the public truly feel the transformation of the police."

He further stated that there must be continuous inspections and improvements to check for any systemic issues by task or any gaps in the command and supervision systems.

Regarding a report that traffic fatalities as of August of this year decreased by about 100 compared to last year, he remarked, "The reduction of traffic fatalities is a representative task where police save citizens' lives," and ordered officials to "further dedicate themselves to efforts such as observing traffic laws, enforcement, and facility improvements."

The National Police Agency explained, "This reporting session was unusually held over the weekend to swiftly push for the seamless preparation of the revised Criminal Procedure Act implementation and the fundamental reform of the police."

(Photo: Yonhap News)