Police launch reform committee after alleged mishandling of Gwangju murder investigation

Members of a committee tasked with reforming police investigations attend the panel's first meeting at the National Police Agency's headquarters in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of National Police Agency

A committee tasked with reforming police investigation practices was launched Monday in response to allegations of police misconduct in a high-profile murder case earlier this year.

The committee held its inaugural meeting at the National Police Agency headquarters as police seek to rebuild public trust amid ongoing controversy over the police investigation into the murder case.

The controversy centers on allegations that police in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, leaked investigative material to the murder suspect's father, who is also a police officer in the city, and destroyed evidence.

The suspect, 23-year-old Jang Yoon-gi, is accused of killing a 16-year-old female high school student and attempting to kill a 17-year-old male student on May 5.

The committee plans to examine the police handling of the case as its first agenda item, and evaluate potential structural flaws within the force and propose improvements.

The government issued an apology earlier this month over the alleged police mishandling of the murder case and vowed thorough reforms to police investigations.