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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

President Lee calls for police reform, citing discipline issues

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • President Lee Jae-myung called for police reform, citing recent issues with discipline and accountability.
  • He urged the formation of a dedicated police reform committee to address these concerns.
  • The president emphasized the need for stronger leadership responsibility within the police force.

President Lee Jae-myung has called for a comprehensive reform of the police force, highlighting recent incidents that have exposed issues with discipline and accountability. Speaking at the 37th State Council meeting, Lee stated that the police wield significant power and that it is crucial to consider how to reform the institution.

The police will likely exercise the greatest power among national agencies.

— President Lee Jae-myungAddressing the need for police reform at the State Council meeting.

"The police will likely exercise the greatest power among national agencies," Lee remarked, urging for deliberations on establishing a police reform committee. His comments come in the wake of growing criticism regarding the police's handling of recent cases, including a controversy over the alleged false closure of a missing person case in Jeju. The president acknowledged that such problems are not new, attributing them partly to the large number of personnel, likening it to a "tree with many branches" where issues can arise in various places.

I urge you to consider how to reform the police and to think about a police reform committee.

— President Lee Jae-myungCalling for the establishment of a body to oversee police reform.

Lee stressed the importance of leadership responsibility within the police, a hierarchical organization. He questioned the effectiveness of a system where accountability stops at the individual officer level, arguing that command structures are rendered meaningless if leaders are not held responsible for their subordinates' actions. "If there is a mistake by the person in charge or frontline staff, is it truly necessary to have a command system if it only ends with the punishment of the frontline staff?" he asked.

If there is a mistake by the person in charge or frontline staff, is it truly necessary to have a command system if it only ends with the punishment of the frontline staff?

— President Lee Jae-myungQuestioning the current accountability structure within the police.

The president further elaborated that concentrated power magnifies problems, meaning that the impact of an issue increases with the extent of authority. Therefore, he asserted, responsibility must be strengthened in proportion to the authority granted. Lee directed the Prime Minister's Office to take the lead in gathering public opinion and formulating a plan for police reform.

Responsibility must be strengthened in proportion to the authority granted.

— President Lee Jae-myungEmphasizing the link between power and accountability in the police force.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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