Officers with misconduct records to be barred from investigative units, acting police chief says

Yoo Jae-seong, acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, urged police commanders nationwide Tuesday to ensure that investigations earn public trust under a revised Criminal Procedure Act that strips prosecutors of all investigative authority.

The revised act, which the ruling-bloc-led National Assembly passed on July 31, was approved without amendment at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday chaired by President Lee Jae Myung. The legislation removes from prosecutors' duties all investigative powers — including the authority to supplement cases referred by police — leaving prosecutors only the ability to request that police conduct additional investigation. Police must comply with any such request within two months. The overhaul, the first in 72 years, takes effect Oct. 2 alongside the abolition of the Prosecution Service.

At the meeting, Yoo told police commanders to ensure that field investigators and mid-level managers receive thorough training before the revised act takes effect, so that the new criminal justice system can take hold without confusion.

Yoo also said that, in line with police's expanded responsibilities, oversight and punishment of officers who engage in misconduct during investigations must be strengthened. He added that the agency would pursue measures to institutionally bar officers with serious misconduct records from serving in investigative units.

"Until the new criminal justice system is properly established on the ground, I ask that commanders lead with a heightened sense of responsibility and work to make police investigations worthy of public trust," he said.

Yoo said the agency would review the additional investigative personnel and budget needed under the revised act, consult with related ministries, and begin work on follow-up legislative amendments.

Hong Seok-gi, head of the National Investigation Headquarters at the Korean National Police Agency, said at a regular press briefing Monday that the revision had "created an environment where police can focus on investigation and prosecutors can focus on filing and maintaining charges." He added that he believed the changes would "raise the completeness of police investigations, ensuring that the public suffers no harm and that investigations are conducted properly."