Yoon urges increased police efforts to combat crimes affecting ordinary people

Oct 22, 2024, 10:11 am

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President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks at the 79th Police Day ceremony held at the Korean National Police Agency’s headquarters in Seoul on Oct. 21, 2024./ Source: Yonhap News

AsiaToday reporter Hong Sun-mi

President Yoon Suk-yeol urged police on Monday to step up efforts to focus on criminals that harm ordinary people and impose strict punishments on them. He also called on police to confiscate criminal proceeds and financial sources to fundamentally cut off the links within the criminal ecosystem.

Yoon addressed concerns over violent crimes against random victims that are emerging as “new threats” along with drug crime, fake news and organized crime, during a ceremony marking the 79th Police Day. He reiterated that police must develop security capabilities in line with social changes and new situations so that the people can trust and rely on them.

“Police must drastically enhance their investigative capabilities in line with the rapid pace of technological development,” Yoon said. “Police should accelerate the development of identification systems for fake and manipulated content, such as deepfakes, and work in collaboration with relevant agencies to eradicate digital sex crimes,” he added. “Crimes against vulnerable individuals, such as stalking, domestic violence and child abuse, must be firmly dealt with from the outset to break the perpetrators’ will to commit crimes,” he said.

He also called on police to respond quickly and firmly to fake news that shake the society. “The government will actively support the development of high-tech technologies and improve laws and systems without any problems to support your work,” he said. “We will expand support for Asan Police Hospital as well as police officers who died or injured on duty. We will spare no effort, including expanding police education infrastructure and expanding regulations to ensure that the police’s legitimate law enforcement is protected.”

President Yoon attended the police day ceremony for the third consecutive year since his inauguration, encouraging police officers.

The ceremony was held at the National Police Agency’s headquarters for the first time in 19 years since 2005, and it was the first time in 12 years that an incumbent president visited the National Police Agency headquarters since former President Lee Myung-bak in 2012.

#Yoon Suk-yeol #Police Day