Lee Jae Myung urges police reform and independent scrutiny after violent crimes

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for police reform at a National Police Day ceremony in Seoul on October 21, saying the force must improve its response to violent crime as it takes on greater investigative authority, The Korea Herald reported. He urged independent scrutiny of investigations and earlier action to protect people at risk.

“Public trust cannot be restored through words alone,” Lee said, according to The Korea Herald. He called for visible changes in how officers respond to shortcomings and said the police should correct flawed practices and institutions rather than evade public criticism.

Lee calls for oversight of expanded police powers

The appeal came during an overhaul of South Korea’s criminal justice system that is shifting investigative authority away from prosecutors. The Korea Herald reported that the change has raised questions about how police will be held accountable. Lee also called for a stronger role for the National Police Commission, according to the Herald. The reports did not give an implementation timetable for the oversight measures he proposed.

Police response to relationship violence under pressure

Lee said recent relationship violence and attacks on strangers had shaken public trust and heightened anxiety. The Korea Herald described a case in Jeju in which a woman was killed by her former partner despite repeatedly reporting him to police and carrying a police-issued emergency smartwatch. It also reported a case in Seoul in which a man under investigation for domestic violence allegedly killed his mother-in-law and abducted his estranged wife after a restraining order expired.

Both outlets reported concern following an attack in Incheon. The Korea Herald said the suspect in a knife attack there wore an electronic ankle monitor and had previously served prison time for attempting to murder his former wife. The cited cases have intensified scrutiny of police protection, but the reports do not establish that a particular police action caused the attacks.

Lee urged a shift from responding after victims are harmed to preventing stalking, other relationship violence and attacks on strangers. He said officers should act on warning signs early. Yonhap also reported his call for firm investigations of housing rental scams and unlawful receipt of state subsidies, while protecting people’s basic and human rights during investigations.