Key facts
- Acting police chief Kim Jong-chul reaffirmed efforts for investigative reform.
- The National Police Agency is considering increasing the number of investigators.
- The agency is exploring AI and retired officers for simple tasks.
- Around 310,000 missing person cases are being reexamined.
- The police have examined about 128,000 cases so far.
- All missing person cases are planned to be reviewed by November.
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's acting police chief, Kim Jong-chul, on Monday reaffirmed the agency's commitment to investigative reform, including the potential increase in the number of investigators, in response to recent high-profile cases of alleged police misconduct. The National Police Agency launched a dedicated body last week to lead comprehensive organizational reforms, a move that follows a recent revision to the Criminal Procedure Act transferring investigative authority from the prosecution to the police. This reform initiative is occurring amidst heightened scrutiny over alleged misconduct, notably a mishandled missing person case on Jeju Island where an officer reportedly closed the case without verifying the woman's safety. Her body was discovered three months after she was initially reported missing.