President Warns Against Domination by Single Police Faction

On October 19, in remarks concerning the police community, President Roh Moo-hyun said, “It is not right when a particular group is formed within the community based on origins, and when that particular group becomes a dominating factor.”

A the ceremony celebrating the 62nd anniversary of “Police Day” held in the Sejong Center for Performing Arts, Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, President Roh said, “Though the independence and self-governance of the police were reinforced while the police faithfully fulfilled their duty of political neutrality, there have also been some unhappy events.”

President Roh also emphasized the need to revise police reforms, saying, “The police have to censor and control itself.”

Many construe that the ‘particular group’ President Roh pointed to within the police is the group of officials from Korea National Police University. Officials who graduated from Korea National Police University betrayed a movement to take collective action against the punishment on police superintendent Hwang Un-ha, the first-term graduate of Korea National Police University who urged the resignation of police chief Lee Taek-soon in late August.

Concerning the collective opposition by Korea National Police University alumni against punishing police superintendent Hwang, Cheong Wa Dae warned against ‘slack discipline,’ and said, “This overt revolt against seniors should not be tolerated.”

Some also interpret that the ‘revision of reform of the system’ mentioned by President Roh hinted at a plan to abolish Korea National Police University.

In addition, regarding the modification of investigation authorities of the prosecution and the police, which was one of his election pledges, President Roh said, “I intended to mediate the matter with an improved version of the pledge, but your community did not welcome it. I feel very regretful.”

Those who took hard-line attitudes in the discussion on the modification of prosecution-police investigation authority were made up mostly of Korea National Police University alumni, including police superintendent Hwang.

“It is not too late. I would expect that a wise conclusion will be drawn so that the recognition of the independence of police investigations and judicial control by the prosecution will be compromised wisely,” added President Roh.

jin0619@donga.com