The ACRC reinforces Police Ombudsman and objective external control over the police

“The ACRC and the KNPA signed an MoU to improve rights and interests of people and create an uncorrupted society”

(28 April. 2021, ACRC)

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (Chiarperson: Jeon Hyun-Heui; ACRC) and Korean National Police Agency (Commissioner General: Kim Chang Yong) signed a memorandum of understanding at the Korean National Police Agency office building in Migeun-dong, Seoul, on 28th this month and decided to reinforce their mutual cooperation to enhance rights and interests of people and create an incorrupt society.

This MoU was designed for the two agencies to join their force in creating just and incorrupt society by responding to corruptive crimes, such as real-estate speculation of public officials, while bolstering objective external control to better protect rights and interests of people in police’s work as recent reform on investigation rights strengthens the roles and responsibilities of the police.

In accordance with this MoU, the two agencies agreed on mutual cooperation for 1) investigation and handling of civil complaints related to the police; 2) promotion and education of Police Ombudsman program for the general public; 3) investigation and handling of corruption reports and public interest disclosures, and protection of reporters; and 4) improvement of integrity of the nation and the police.

First, the two agencies determined to more actively utilize the ACRC’s Police Ombudsman program, so that it can play a stronger role in the objective external control.

The ombudsman program is a system that protects basic rights of citizens when they request for help after getting damage from illegal or unfair administrative measures taken by administrative agencies by conducting investigation of the reported cases.

The ACRC has been serving as an ombudsman for complaints against the police since 2006. With the reform of investigation rights, on 22nd February the ACRC appointed Kang Jae-yeong, Oh Wan-ho, and Sonh Nan-joo of ACRC as members of the Police Ombudsman program to swiftly respond to civil complaints related to the police.

In the future, police-related civil complaints submitted to the ACRC will be objectively handled by the Police Ombudsman through interview with the complainers upon their submission and through field investigation. As such, the program is expected to provide effective external control over the power of the police strengthened after the reform of investigation rights.

Korean National Police Agency said that it will cooperate in the investigation of the ARCR’s Police Ombudsman, while actively accepting the ACRC’s recommendations to improve systems. Until now, the police agency has been pro-actively embracing recommendations of the ACRC and National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRC) for improving systems, meeting the expectations of people.

Recently, a driver was caught for the violation of designated lane on an expressway where it is not easy for ordinary citizens to notice that the road is a speed-change lane. The police agency accepted the ACRC’s recent recommendation for cancelling its fine, and the police also decided to repay fines to all 1,033 drivers who were caught on the same road.

In addition, the police is creating its own civil complaint response system centering around heads of local police stations. Repeated or long-time outstanding civil complaints are directly handled by the heads of police stations through interview. Also, through Civil Complaint Mediation Committee participated by civilian experts, the police is improving the resolution of civil complaints.

Moreover, the ACRC and the NKPA agreed to work even more closely together to create a just society and eradicate corruption.

In order to solidify the nation’s capacity to respond to corruption, the two agencies will share corruption-related information held by each agency with one other, while reinforcing human exchange as well as education and training for human resources in investigation and inquiry.

Furthermore, the two agencies agreed to join the force to establish a dedicated body in the police agency for enhance rights and interests of people and protection of human rights, while reinforcing systems for greater integrity of the police. Besides, they will organize and operate a regular working-level consultation meeting to implement the MoU smoothly in the future.

“The cooperation between the two agencies for protection of people’s rights and interests as well as anti-corruption activities through today’s MoU will strengthen national trust toward the police ombudsman as an effective external control over stronger authorities of the police. It will also provide an opportunity to raise integrity of the police and public offices tarnished by the recent real-estate speculation scandal.”