Some urge unity in fighting for independent police investigation rights


The nation’s police force is split on calls for their chief to resign after the lack of progress with prosecutors regarding the dispute over investigative authority.

The National Police Agency is divided between those calling for Commissioner General Cho Hyun-oh to step down, and those calling for unity within the agency. The latter see a united front as important in fighting the controversial presidential decree, which mandates that police do not have investigation rights independent from prosecutors.

A police intranet post Monday by an investigation division chief at Dobong Police Station in Seoul said Cho’s resignation is appropriate considering his inability to rectify the situation. Other frontline officers shared this belief.

Jinhae Police Station Chief Yang Young-jin, an officer active in voicing criticism against the decree, also called for Cho to step down.

“I was surprised when Commissioner General Cho called the police’s successful gaining of independent investigative rights one of the greatest achievements in police history,” said Yang.

“The moment he called that failure a success, it was hard to turn around the atmosphere of mockery.”

The decree, drawn up finally by the Prime Minister’s Office, details the enforcement of the Criminal Procedure Act allowing police to open and close investigative processes independently before booking a case officially.

However the decree faces fierce criticism from police because it states that all documents and evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation process must be submitted to the prosecutors’ office at regular intervals. According to the decree, all police investigations beyond the unofficial stage will be conducted under the authority of the prosecutor in charge.

On the other side, hard-line police officers argue that Cho’s resignation would only further hurt their cause and put a damper on the momentum that they have gained so far.

“Even if we should successfully switch chiefs now, we would probably lose two to three months of effort in the investigative authority matter, considering the time required for elections and the nuclear summit security and even the parliamentary hearing to swear him (the new chief) in,” said one Seoul officer.

“I would rather see chief Cho give everything he has during the time he has left to push the cause,” said the senior inspector-ranking officer who declined to be named.

Another superintendent-level officer said that the agency needs someone who does not give up because of discouraging results, and disagreed with the call for resignation.

Earlier in the week, Cho said that he was doing everything in his ability to rectify the situation.

“(I am) carrying out the functions of the commissioner general to the fullest in having the Criminal Procedure Act revised,” Cho said at a press conference on Tuesday.

By Robert Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)