NCJ Number
188830
Journal
Crime and Justice International Volume: 17 Issue: 51 Dated: April 2001 Pages: 7-8,27
Date Published
April 2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This second part of a two-part article on the past, present, and future of policing in Korea focuses on the present and the future and on recent police reforms.
Abstract
Police themselves admit that they still have the image of the oppressive Japanese colonial police as well as of the corrupt police that cause negative public attitudes toward police. Current problems also include poor police-community relations; too much emphasis on a centralized police structure; the low social, economic, and legal status of police officers; political influences; and comparatively less developed scientific policing methods and techniques. The national police commissioner appointed in November 1999 declared major reforms to take place in four stages that include training and numerous structural and procedural reforms. The Operation Grand Reform 100 Days ended on March 9, 2000 and is undergoing evaluation and feedback. The reforms rested on a pilot trial in the Seoul Metropolitan Police and received a positive response from the press and the community. However, the reforms relied heavily on the charisma and leadership of the police commissioner. Further needed changes include a longer fixed term for the commissioner, a revision of the Prosecution Authority’s monopoly of power and authority in criminal investigations, and recognition that internal changes alone will not address the low morale among rank-and-file police officers. Photograph and 9 references