The Democratic Party and the government announced plans to review preparations for the launch of the Major Crime Investigation Agency (MCIA) and the Prosecution Agency, set to begin operations on October 2. They also discussed measures to improve the police's management of missing persons cases and expedite the recovery of missing adults.
Lee Yong-woo, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, spoke to reporters at the National Assembly after a high-level government meeting held at the Prime Minister's residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on the afternoon of September 13. He stated, "We will ensure that the MCIA launches without any issues by focusing on staffing, budget, office space, and system development. We have confirmed a total of 2,874 personnel for the main office specialized in investigating seven major crimes and six regional offices, and we will complete the related presidential decree."
He added that a personnel plan for special appointments will be prepared within this month, alongside efforts to recruit additional special appointees and external experts. He noted that next year's budget has been set at 472.4 billion won, and the police agency's KIX system will be revamped to establish full functionality by the end of the year.
The spokesperson also mentioned that the Prosecution Agency, which will launch alongside the MCIA, is undergoing similar preparations. He emphasized the need for smooth progress on tasks such as organizational structure and budget allocation, legal framework adjustments, case transfers, and improvements to the KIX system to complete the necessary reforms for the public. He stated, "We agreed to consider changing the name of the Judicial Control Department to the Non-Prosecution Case Review Department and to abolish the positions of Criminal Planning Officer and Major Crime Investigation Planning Officer."
Additionally, Lee discussed improvements to the police's management of missing persons cases, which have been highlighted by recent incidents in Jeju. He said, "We discussed measures for the rapid recovery of missing adults, including increasing the number of dedicated personnel in police missing persons units to ensure at least two officers are on duty at night, and establishing dedicated organizations within provincial police agencies for missing persons investigations."
He also mentioned that legislative discussions will be expedited to allow for tracking location information and verifying card usage for high-risk missing adults, similar to the provisions for missing children, without the need for a warrant.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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