.jpg/dims/resize/740/optimize) |
| Pyo Chang-won speaks during a press conference after announcing he will join the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) in Seoul, Sunday. / Yonhap |
By Yoon Ja-young
Pyo Chang-won, a renowned criminal profiler, made headlines Sunday by joining the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).
Born in 1966 in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Pyo recollects in his book "Why do I study criminology?" that he was a fighter as a child. At school, he was more fascinated by stories of Sherlock Holmes than studying. The little boy who aspired to become a detective grew up to attend the Korea National Police University, a state-run college which nurtures elite police officers.
He started his career as a police inspector after graduation, but he decided that he wanted continue his studies in scientific investigation. He went to the United Kingdom, the home of Sherlock Holmes, where he earned his master's and Ph.D. in police studies at the University of Exeter.
He returned to Korea as a professor at his alma mater, the Korea National Police University. However, he made more of a name for himself as a criminal profiler. He has been appearing on local TV programs like "Unanswered Question" on SBS, where he received the spotlight for assessing many unsolved criminal cases.
For his sense of justice and expertise, he has earned many fans. Regarding the National Intelligence Service (NIS)'s alleged interference in the 2012 election in favor of then-presidential candidate Park Geun-hye, he said that the police should have investigated the case more thoroughly. The remark, however, stirred controversy within the police, and he ended up quitting his job at the Korea National Police University. He established Pyo Institute of Crime Science and has been actively working as a criminal profiler since.
Pyo said that he decided to join the NPAD because he felt sorry for the main opposition which is on the verge of collapse and division. He said he wants to realize justice, secure safety and restore happiness for children and teenagers, through politics.
