NCJ Number
194894
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 50 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2002 Pages: 35-36,38,39
Date Published
2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article focuses on the history and roles of the Korean National Police (KNP).
Abstract
Since the Korean War there have been numerous long running periods of martial law imposed on the people of South Korea with the use of the KNP to control the country and the populace. The KNP, at 150,000 officers, is an all-encompassing national police agency that is involved in all aspects of internal safety and security. The KNP takes an active role in anti-espionage activities, involvement in educating the public about the North Korean security threats, mountain rescue, marine patrol, environmental crime enforcement, cyber crime, organized crime, narcotics crime, juvenile crime, VIP and Presidential security, routine criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, and foot patrols. In 1967, the Combat or Riot Police were organized and are used for anti-infiltration and assigned to some traffic and security functions. Historically, policing was a function of the military-agriculture establishment in Korea that provided protection from invaders and fierce animals. Police functions were established in 1744 with formation of the Police Bureau. After World War II, the Police Administration Office under the United States Military Government in Korea was established and police administrations were created in each province. In 1991 the National Police Agency was established as an independent government organization no longer subordinate to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The KNP was changed from an internal security force to a modern service oriented police agency in 2000. The 112 reporting centers, similar to the U.S. 911 system, answer an average of 4,623 calls a day. Currently, 64 percent of all calls are responded to within 3 minutes from the time of call and 94 percent are responded to in less than 5 minutes. Traffic is by far the most serious enforcement concern in the Republic of Korea. Each day Korea has 650 traffic accidents resulting in 933 injuries and 25 deaths. Korea has a very low incidence of firearms related crimes.