Kim Nam-joon, chairman of the Police Investigation Reform Committee, announces a third set of recommendations, including measures to strengthen the independence and investigative capacity of the National Office of Investigation, after the committee’s 15th meeting at the National Police Agency in Seoul’s Seodaemun district on Nov. 2. NewsisA police reform panel recommended reviving the National Office of Investigation’s cybercrime bureau as large-scale hacking attacks and personal data breaches mount. The panel also called for strengthening the investigation chief’s authority over personnel and budgets and expanding the force’s investigative staff and funding.The Police Investigation Reform Committee, formed to restore public trust, announced the recommendations on the 2nd, covering the independence of the National Office of Investigation and the strengthening of police investigative capacity. The committee said the police need to overhaul their organization, staffing and budget now that their investigative responsibilities have grown under the revised Criminal Procedure Act, which took effect on Oct. 2 and separates investigation from prosecution.The committee first recommended restoring the cybercrime bureau, which was abolished in 2023. Under the reorganization at the time, the cybercrime bureau and its cybercrime planning division were eliminated, and the functions were downgraded to a single cyber-investigation counselor-level post under the investigation bureau of the National Office of Investigation.According to the committee, cybercrime surged 65% over the past five years, while total crime rose 12%. Cybercrime now accounts for about 22.5% of all crime. The committee said criminal methods are growing more sophisticated — including deepfake sex crimes, virtual asset crimes and large-scale data breaches — yet the dedicated investigative organization has been cut back instead.The committee recommended restoring the cybercrime bureau and a dedicated policy and planning division under the National Office of Investigation to their original form, and rebuilding dedicated cybercrime units at frontline police stations. It also proposed strengthening international cooperation and the development of advanced investigative technology.The panel also proposed measures to give the head of the National Office of Investigation real authority over personnel and budgets. The committee said the chief directs and supervises investigative police nationwide but lacks sufficient authority over personnel and funding. It recommended strengthening the chief’s rights to consult on personnel decisions, recommend assignments and set assignment criteria, and guaranteeing substantive consultation rights in drawing up and allocating investigation budgets.The committee said, however, that the proposal is not intended to separate the National Office of Investigation entirely from the Korean National Police Agency. Rather, it said authority commensurate with the responsibility for directing investigations should be guaranteed within the existing police law framework.The committee also recommended making greater use of outside appointments for the post of investigation chief. It noted that while the police law provides grounds for appointing an outsider, no such appointment has been made. Bringing in an outsider would introduce fresh perspectives into the organization and strengthen investigative independence, the committee said. It added that the proposal does not have any particular professional background, such as former prosecutors, in mind, but is intended to encourage broad consideration of candidates with sufficient investigative experience and expertise.The committee also pointed to shortages in investigative staff and budget. The number of investigative police officers stands at 40,563 as of the second half of this year. A 2022 study estimated that an additional 13,974 officers were needed, equal to 34.6% of the current level. The committee said that figure predates the overhaul of the criminal justice system, and that an appropriate staffing level should be calculated through a new organizational assessment, with increases made in phases.Under the 2027 government budget proposal, annual investigation expenses for police come to 4.49 million won per officer, about one-third the 13.76 million won allocated at the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. The committee said simple comparisons have limits because the difficulty of cases varies by agency, but argued the police budget falls short of their investigative responsibilities and should be increased.In forensic science, the committee proposed reinstating a forensic science planning officer reporting directly to the head of the National Office of Investigation and restoring forensic science divisions at metropolitan and provincial police agencies. Over the longer term, it called for considering an expansion into an independent dedicated organization such as a forensic science bureau.
Click Here For The Original Source.
——————————————————–
