Gov't to reduce power of police intelligence unit
National Police Agency/ Yonhap
By Kim Hyun-bin
The National Police Agency (NPA) is expected to reduce the power of its police intelligence unit.
This comes after a committee recommended this move to the NPA.
The intelligence unit had collected data on civic groups, political parties, religious groups and the press to drive public sentiment under the direction of previous administrations.
This will end as pledged by President Moon Jae-in.
The government will also move to punish any members of the intelligence unit involved in politics in support of a particular party.
The police reform committee held its 25th plenary session and submitted the “Police Intelligence Activity Reform Plan” to the NPA.
“We respect the reform committee's recommendation. We will try to implement all possible measures,” NPA Commissioner General Lee Chul-sung said.
The plan is divided into four sections _ restructuring the information bureau and its functions, establishing legal grounds and strengthening rules on the intelligence unit's activities.
The intelligence unit had been responsible for collecting data as a front to maintain public order.
It had been under fire for abusing investigative power.
The law will be revised to prevent this extensive investigative activity.
Once implemented, the jurisdiction of the intelligence unit will be drastically reduced.
The NPA plans to come up with a new set of guidelines by October, following the committee's recommendations.
Not only the intelligence unit, but the police force in general will be restricted from intervening in politics.
Police officers who violate this will face criminal punishment under the revised law.
Background checks of government officials and policy information will be transferred to a government entity.
Police power distribution
The government is pushing to introduce a regional autonomous police system by as early as 2020.
This includes handing over some of the national police duties to local units.
Cheong Wa Dae's Committee on Local Autonomy Development recently unveiled a plan dubbed “Autonomous Police Act” where the local police system will be introduced through a pilot program in five major cities and provinces starting next year.
The system is scheduled to be expanded to all 17 major cities and provinces in the near future, the committee stated.
Currently, the nation's police forces, except those on Jeju Island, are under the direct control of the central National Police Agency (NPA).
President Moon is seeking to decentralize the police to prevent excessive force and abuse of power.
This was part of his key campaign pledge to reform the country's legal and law enforcement agencies.
This reform has been backed by the public, calling for stricter checks and balances between prosecutors and police.
The details of the plan would need further ironing out, including how the duties of local police forces will be transferred from the national police and how much investigative authority police should be given.
The proposal also includes maintaining the current national police organization while creating separate local police forces, which will be directed by heads of local agencies.
This system would be similar to the working relationship between the FBI and state police forces in the U.S.
Commissioner General Lee said he prefers to delegate 40 percent of his agency's duties to local police forces that can investigate cases involving sexual assault and school and domestic violence.