Law enforcement in South Korea

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Hyundai Sonata police car in Gimhae, South Korea. Gimhae Seobu Police Station Patrol Car.JPG
Hyundai Sonata police car in Gimhae, South Korea.
South Korean and North Korean authorities at the South Korea-North Korea border. 070401 Panmunjeom3.jpg
South Korean and North Korean authorities at the South Korea-North Korea border.

South Korea has a relatively unified and integrated approach to law enforcement. For example, the National Police Agency (NPA) provides all general policing services throughout the country. Due to the unitary system, local police organizations are directly under the NPA.

Contents

This differs from the situation in many countries such as France, where policing is split between the National Police and Gendarmerie , or the United States, which has a layered system of national, state/regional, and/or local law enforcement organizations.

However, South Korea has several independent agencies that only enforce a specific law or laws—for example, the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Economy and Finance have their own enforcement organizations for either border control, Customs or taxation, respectively. However, they are not formally called police.

The Police of the Republic of Korea' (the National Police Agency of the Republic of Korea) protect Republic of Korea people's lives, bodies and property, prevent, suppress, and investigate crimes, guard major facilities, guard key factors, and counter-espionage. Conducting counterterrorism operations, collecting, preparing, and distributing security information, controlling traffic and preventing harm, seeking international cooperation with foreign government agencies and international organizations, and other duties to maintain public peace and order [1] It refers to an organization in charge of security, safety, pollution control, and investigation of incidents at sea. [2]

History

Before the Koryo era

Before the Koryo era, there were many records about criminal law, but there were no accurate records about the police. Some people speculate that there is no complete differentiation with government organizations or military organizations.

Korean era

There was the Anti-Criminal Department(An ancient judicial department) in Korea, and a ACD captain was appointed to take charge of police affairs. In 1835, the organization was expanded to the left and right Anti-Criminal Department. [3] In 1884, the Left and Right Podo Offices were abolished, and the police department was newly established to take charge of public order within the capital. [3] Local police affairs were managed from within. [4]

Korean Empire

The modern police system was introduced before and after the establishment of Korean Empire in 1897. In 1899, the police chief was promoted to the position of police minister, who was in charge of public security work throughout the country. In 1901, it was reorganized into an internal police department, and the interior minister was in charge of police work. [3]

Japanese imperialist occupation period

In the 1910s, during the Japanese imperialist occupation, the police organization was directly under the authority of the deputy governor of the Joseon Colonies. The central government had a police inspector general's department and local police departments. Police Superintendent The military police commander, who is not interfered by the Japanese military police commander, also serves as the police superintendent, supervising the police work on the Korean Peninsula. The Ministry of Police Supervision directly governs the Ministry of Beijing. [5]

The provincial police ministers are concurrently the provincial gendarmerie captains, who are responsible for the police affairs in their provinces. The chief of police is responsible for the police affairs of military units, but the sub-captains of military police and sub-captains of military police have the same authority as the chief of police, and are responsible for areas beyond the authority of the chief of police. The cotton unit has a pure social finance office, a pure social police station, a military police dispatch office and a military police business office to assist police affairs. Generally, the police are deployed in areas that mainly need to maintain order, such as the port of departure, while the military police are deployed in important military places or border areas, where there are militia. [5]

In the 1920s, during the Japanese occupation, the police organization changed from military police to ordinary police. The General Police Supervision Department and the provincial police departments were abolished, and the police departments under the provincial governor exercised police power. At the same time of setting up military police detachment or military police detachment, police stations are also set up in areas where there are no police stations, and the principle of setting up a police station in a department or county and a resident station on one side is formulated. With the need for more policemen, a police training workshop was set up. [5]

To carry out Japan's war of aggression, the control of the Korean Peninsula [6] was strengthened, and the police organization was also expanded. The police were responsible for national defense, air defense, economic control, listening to the public's trends, media guidance and national health care, which lasted until the liberation of the Korean Peninsula. [7] [5]

The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea established by the March 1st Movement in 1919 is a police bureau under the Ministry of the Interior which performs police functions. [8] The first police chief was recommended by Interior Minister An Changhao, and Jin Jiu was elected on 12 August 1919. The police bureau was responsible for intelligence and supervision, police work, and arrested Japanese imperialist spies. Jin Jiu appointed Lu Shungen as the guard minister, and employed most young Han people, including more than 20 guards. Jin Jiu not only supervised the police work as the police chief, but also tried as the presiding judge in the interim government without courts. Jin Jiu, the police chief, expelled Sun Yujia and Jiang Linyu, who had been a spy of Japanese imperialism, shot and killed Jin Daoshun, who had been a spy of Japanese consulate, and arrested and executed Huang Heshan, who tried to poison independence activists.

Republic of Korea era

Seoul Metropolitan City A building of Korean National Police Agency located in Seodaemun-gu. Korean National Police Agency Building02.jpg
Seoul Metropolitan City A building of Korean National Police Agency located in Seodaemun-gu.

After liberation on August 15, 1945, the Police Department was established in the US Military Government and the police departments were established in each province on October 21. In 1946, the Police Department was reorganized into the Police Department, and each provincial police department was reorganized into the provincial police office, and the Railway Provincial Police Agency was established. In September 1948, police authority was transferred from the US Military Government to the Korean government, and as the National Security Bureau was established under the Ministry of Home Affairs, each city and provincial police office was changed to the National Police Agency.

In 1949, the Railway District Police Agency was reduced to the Railway Police Unit, and the Coast Guard was established on December 23, 1953. In 1963, when the railroad police force was abolished, it was transferred to the Transportation Bureau.

In 1974, the Public Security Bureau became the Security Headquarters, and in 1991, as the Security Headquarters was expanded to the National Police Agency, the Metropolitan Police Agency was changed to the Local Police Agency.

In 1996, the Korea Coast Guard was separated as an organization under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. [3]

Organization

Organizations in charge of police work in the Republic of Korea are Korea Coast Guard and its affiliated agencies, Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport railway police; In addition, through the Special Judicial Police Act, public officials who perform police duties related to related duties are designated to carry out public order maintenance and enforcement duties.

Korean police

Class of police civil servants It is divided into 11 national positions and 8 local positions.

Non-cadre level (patrol, sheriff (rank) | sheriff, sergeant)

Middle-level cadres (inspector, inspector, police, chief police)

Earth patrol leader of university, director of police station, chief of police station, practical staff of local office of police department. Captain of the earth, chief instrument officer and team leader of the police station, and monitor of the local hall of the police department. Chief of police department and director of local department of police department. Chief of police and chief of local department of police department.

Senior cadres police officer, sheriff, sheriff, sense of security, sheriff)

The deputy head of the local office, the head of the Gyeonggi local office in Busan, Seoul, and the police chiefs and deliberation officers of the police department in five strongholds, including the Matsuura City Inspectorate. Director of local police department, director of police education, principal of central police school and director of police department. Minister of Investigation, Deputy Director of Police Department, Chief of Gyeonggi Local Police in Busan, Seoul, Police chief [9] Chief of police.

The same grade applies to the police department and the marine police department.

Local posts are classes with the prefix "autonomy" for each class, and Jeju Special Autonomy is also a class that only exists in the autonomous police corps. Starting from the patrol, the slope is a real flower bud wrapped with two real petals. From the longitude and latitude to the total longitude, it is a real flower. The military attache puts a theater on the robe platform and puts 50 cents of real flowers. [11]

Appointment of police officers

281st New Police Officer Graduation Ceremony 20150209gyeongcalgwan imyongsig240.jpg
281st New Police Officer Graduation Ceremony

The process of hiring as a police officer in Korea is as follows. To become a career police officer, you must have a class 1 ordinary driver's license.

Gender equality policy

As of April 29, 2018, about 13,000 female police officers and 3,000 female general administrative positions in the National Police Agency are working at the National Police Agency. This corresponds to 10.8% of all police officers. [12] However, as of July 28, 2018, there are 16 high-ranking female police officers of Superintendent or higher, and there is only one female police officer in the current position Superintendent of Police or higher. In response, the National Police Agency abolished the gender restriction ratio when recruiting Police academy new students and hiring police executive candidates, and is expected to eliminate gender discrimination in police officer recruitment in the future.

Equipment

Transportation

Korean police use various mobile devices to respond to security demands. In general, a 5-seater sedan is used, but in the case of mountainous or island areas, a sports utility vehicle is also used. In addition, motorcycles are used for quick site movement, and rotary wing aircraft are operated for aerial operations. In addition, buses are used to transport police officers in large numbers, ambulances are used to transport injured police officers, and restaurant vehicles and sanitation vehicles are operated for other conveniences. [13]

The Korea Coast Guard operates 35 large ships, 39 medium ships, 110 small ships, 139 special ships, 6 fixed-wing ships, and 18 rotary-wing ships in order to respond to security demands at sea. [14]

Firearms

Currently, South Korean police are allowed to carry 38-caliber pistols during operations. According to official data from the National Police Agency, the S&W (Smith & Wesson) Model 10 is to be used. However, the Smith & Wesson Model 10 has become outdated, and firearm usage trends have moved toward the S&W Model 60 which has a reduced barrel and weight and uses 357 Magnum bullets.

Notable incidents

Civilian massacres during the Korean War

Before the outbreak of the Korean War, the police cooperated with the Korean People's Guerrilla Army in the process of fighting with the Korean People's Guerrilla Army in Jeju Island, where (4·3 Incident) occurred, and in areas where (Yeosu·Suncheon Incident) occurred. Massacre civilians suspected of having done so. Right after the war broke out, in the process of retreating, prison inmates and (All-National Association—All-National Association members)were slaughtered, and after restoration, civilians suspected of collaborating with the Korean People's Army were slaughtered. [15]

The police played a role in suppressing the democratization movement during First Republic and Fifth Republic. At the time of (3·15 Masan Uprising), the police fired at the protesters, killing 7 people, Kim Joo-yeol's body was abandoned, and (4.19 Revolution) also fired at the protesters As a result, 185 people died. (Bucheon Police Station Sexual Torture Incident) and (Park Jong-cheol's Torture and Death Case).

Ssangyong Motor Dispute Suppression

In May 2009, workers of the Ssangyong Motor company occupied a plant during an anti-layoff strike. After negotiations broke down in August, riot police deployed tear gas, tasers, helicopters, and planes to suppress the strikers. In response, the disgruntled workers used slingshots, Molotov cocktails, and crowbars. Although appellate courts initially ruled against the workers in 2016, the Supreme Court of Korea overturned the ruling. It was ruled that the workers acted in self-defense against excessive force from the police. [16] [17]

List of law enforcement organizations

The Korean National Police Agency

Korean National Police Agency [27] is composed of 1 deputy commissioner general, 8 bureaus, 9 offices and 32 divisions.

General safety description

The following list is a description of safety for citizens, tourists, and others who are related to being in South Korea. [31]

Safety around the Demilitarized zone (DMZ)

Since the end of the Korean War [35] in 1953, Korea has been divided between North Korea and South Korea, separated by a demilitarized zone, which the short name for is (DMZ). [36]

See also

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