Prime Minister Han to set up police reform committee as investigation duties shift

During a cabinet meeting in Sejong, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook pledged to establish a police reform committee and a task force inside her office to guide the transition to a new law-enforcement model. Effective Oct. 2, police will assume full responsibility for investigations, relegating prosecutors to indictment duties only. Critics have warned that concentrating investigative power in the police could repeat past failures, citing incidents where officers closed missing-person cases without confirming safety, later discovering the individuals were dead.

Han emphasized the need for a fair and accountable police force and asked the justice ministry and interior ministry to ensure the reforms take hold promptly. The government aims to rebuild public confidence and protect citizens' rights under the revised system.