The police will deploy approximately 2,000 additional personnel to investigation departments in the second half of this year, in line with the implementation of the revised Criminal Procedure Law. With the abolition of prosecutors' direct supplementary investigation rights, the police's responsibility for supplementary investigations has increased, necessitating an expansion of personnel and the establishment of detailed procedures to effectively respond to prosecutors' requests.
On September 10, the National Police Agency announced that it has prepared amendments to police investigation rules and crime investigation regulations in accordance with the revised Criminal Procedure Law and investigation guidelines, which will take effect on October 2. The amendments were approved by the National Police Commission on September 7.
The revised law imposes an obligation on the police to fulfill prosecutors' requests for supplementary investigations and shortens the standard processing time from the current three months to one month. This change comes as the abolition of the prosecution office has eliminated direct supplementary investigations by prosecutors, leaving the request for supplementary investigations as a key means of overseeing police investigations.
Before notifying the results of supplementary investigations, the police must send a comprehensive investigation report and case records to the prosecutor, summarizing existing investigation results, evidence relationships, and the details of the supplementary investigation. Prosecutors can then verify whether the investigation aligns with their requests and provide necessary feedback.
If completing a supplementary investigation within one month is not feasible, the police must submit a request detailing the reasons for the extension, the required duration, and related materials. Exceptions will be recognized for cases requiring extended periods, such as medical evaluations, but both the police and prosecutors will manage the investigation progress on a monthly basis.
The procedures for requests for re-investigations and corrective measures will also be strengthened. If the police fail to comply with a request for re-investigation of a case not prosecuted without justifiable reasons, prosecutors can demand the exclusion or disciplinary action against the responsible investigator. The regulations for handling requests for exclusion and disciplinary action, previously applicable only to supplementary investigations, will also apply to re-investigation requests.
The procedure for requesting opinions between the police and prosecutors has been clarified. The police will establish a format for seeking opinions from prosecutors regarding legal judgments or the appropriateness of evidence collection, and the opinions of prosecutors and the police's acceptance of those opinions will be documented in the investigation records. If the police intend to dispose of seized items contrary to the prosecutor's opinion, they must request the opinion again and provide written notification of the reasons if they do not comply.
Recognizing that these institutional changes will increase the workload for frontline officers, the police are also pushing for an increase in investigation personnel. Following the addition of 1,907 personnel to investigation departments from last year to the first half of this year, they plan to deploy about 2,000 more in the upcoming personnel changes for the second half of the year.
Initially, personnel will be reallocated from within, focusing on experienced investigators, and external personnel will be added after organizational adjustments. Outstanding investigators below the rank of inspector will have their service period shortened by one year, and those selected as outstanding investigative personnel at the rank of senior inspector may have their retirement age extended by up to four years. The police also plan to increase special promotions for investigation teams and grant additional points in public safety performance evaluations for departments with heavy workloads.
A notification procedure for cases under the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) will also be established. The police will notify the SCIA of any crimes under its jurisdiction that they identify during investigations. The police estimate that over 80,000 of the approximately 580,000 serious crime cases annually will fall under the SCIA notification requirement.
Criminal cases involving police officers will be reported to other investigative agencies regardless of whether charges are filed. Cases involving officers below the rank of superintendent will be reported to the SCIA, while cases involving officers at the rank of senior superintendent or above will be forwarded to the Corruption Investigation Office.
Simultaneously with the implementation of the revised law, the National Police Agency plans to establish an emergency response team within the National Investigation Headquarters to support issues that cannot be resolved with existing guidelines. Starting on September 21, regional field training and comprehensive training for investigators will be conducted, and practical investigation guidelines reflecting the new systems and procedures will be distributed to frontline officers.
Kim Jong-cheol, acting chief of the National Police Agency, stated, "The role and responsibility of field investigators have become increasingly important in the new criminal justice system. We will take follow-up measures to ensure that the systems for inter-agency cooperation and the fairness of investigations operate effectively in practice."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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