The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA; ), also known as the Korean National Police (KNP), is one of the national police organizations in South Korea. It is run under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and is headquartered in Seodaemun, Seoul. The agency is divided into 18 local police agencies, including the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Local police agencies are not independent of the national police.
The origins of Korean Police organization date to the Police Department of Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. After the division of Korea in 1945, the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) created the Police Administration Bureau under its command, and established a police department in every province, relying upon the police force from the colonial period to maintain law and order. A Bureau of National Security was established in 1948 before its demise in 1974.
The present-day agency was created in 1991, reshuffling the National Security Headquarters in the Ministry of Home Affairs () to the National Police Agency.
History Before 1945
The spiritual origins of South Korean law enforcement organization lie in the Police Department () of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. The bylaws of the Korean Provisional Government promulgated on April 25, 1919, stipulated the roles and responsibilities of the Police Bureau under the Provisional Government. The first Commissioner General of the Police Bureau was Kim Gu, who laid the foundation for the Korean police force. Police of the Provisional Government guarded key figures in the government and government office building, as well as maintaining public security in the oversea Koreans society.
In 1923, Kim Gu established the neighborhood patrol force () in the Shanghai group of overseas Koreans. Its mission was to maintain public security in the Korean society of Shanghai. This organization was later renamed to the Korean Patriotic Organization, a secret organization that aimed to assassinate prominent Japanese figures of the Empire of Japan.
1945–1948: Period of the Police Administration Department On August 15, 1945, after subsequent liberation of Korea and division of Korea, the United States Army established the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK). Under the USAMGIK government, the Police Administration Bureau (; Hanja: 警務部) was established, directed by Lawrence E. Schick, and established a police department in every province on 21 October. This police organization was formed with 2,000 officers, most were former police in the colonial government. The first Korean Director of the National Police Department was Chough Pyung-ok, with his term beginning on 21 October.
In 1946, the Police Administration Bureau (; Hanja: 警務部) was promoted into the Department of Police Affairs. In March 5, the police department launched the Railway Provincial Police Division, which was eventually abolished in 1949. During this period, Korean police were deployed to conflicts such as the Autumn Uprising of 1946 and the Jeju uprising between 1948 and 1949.<G-2 Weekly Summary No.59>, USAFIK The First Republic of Korea was founded on 15 August 1948 and Syngman Rhee became the first president of South Korea following the May 1948 general election. The Bureau of National Security () is established under the Minister of the Internal Affair.
1948–1974: Period of the Bureau of National Security On 14 November 1948, the Bureau of National Security was established after the transfer of power from the Police Administration Bureau. On November 18, the police agency is established in every South Korean city and province.
When the Korean War broke out in 1950, South Korean policemen were engaged in the war. The Police Battle Force headquarters was established in Taebaek and Jiri Mountain. On 25 June 1950, around 3:00 AM, a police officer of Gangneung city, Jeon Daeuk, became the first combat casualty of the Korean War. In the whole period of the war, 10,618 officers were killed and 6,760 were injured. Some police engaged in wartime massacres, like Bodo League massacre. Kim Tae Sun, the chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police, admitted to personally executing at least 12 "communists and suspected communists" after the outbreak of the war.
After the Korean War armistice was signed on 27 July 1953. On 14 December 1953, the Policeman's Duties Execution Law was established, which regulated the duties of South Korean policemen.
In 1955, the National Institute of Scientific Inspection Service is established, now known as the National Forensic Service. In 1967, the Combat Police Squads are launched in every city and province.
In 1972, the Police Special Academy was upgraded into the National Police College (not to be confused with the Korean National Police University).
On 24 December 1974, due to the new Government Organization Act, the Commissioner General of the Headquarter of National Security(; Hanja: 治安本部) was upgraded to the status of a government position and elevated the head of department into the position of a government official.
1974–1991: Period of the National Security Headquarters
On 24 December 1974, the Bureau of National Security was upgraded to the Headquarter of National Security, independent to the Minister of Internal Affairs. At the same time, as part of the reforms for the organizations of the National Security Headquarter, police abolished the Director General for Public Peace and Defense and installed the first, the second, the third department. In this period, South Korea president Park Chung-hee assumed dictatorial power in the October Restoration and took emergency measures. Korean police clashed with leading opposition members and protesters, like in the Bu-Ma Democratic Protests.
On 26 October 1979, Park Chung-hee, the third President of South Korea, was assassinated. On 12 December, Republic of Korea Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan, commander of the Security Command, seized power in the coup d'état of December Twelfth.Young, James V. Eye on Korea: An insider account of Korean-American Relations. (Texas A&M University Press, College Station, TX) 2003. Next year, military power forced the Cabinet to extend martial law to the whole nation. In the city of Gwangju, protestors gathered to protest against the authoritarian government in the Gwangju Uprising. Initially, the South Korean police were deployed against the protests. An Boeng-ha, Commissioner General of the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency, rejected the order of the military regime to shoot citizens. He was removed from his position and tortured by the Army Counterintelligence Corps (today the Defense Security Command).
In 1982, police increased the number of security personnel by 3,292 due to the dismissal of curfews, abolished the National Police College Vice President system, and replaced the Deputy Dean of the National Police College with the Director General of the Faculty, Superintendent General.
On January 21, 1984, the first 12 Combat Police Corps are recruited. The same day, 88 Olympic Expressway (today Gwangju–Daegu Expressway) police personnel were recruited. In 1987, this combat squard are increased to five special mobile police forces, two mobile police forces and one airport defense company.
In 1987, Park Jong-chol, the president of the student council in the linguistics department of Seoul National University, was detained during an investigation into against Chun Doo-hwan's dictatorship and the aftermath of the 1980 Gwangju Massacre activities. Park refused to confess the whereabouts of one of his fellow activists. During the interrogation, authorities used waterboarding techniques to torture him, eventually leading to his death on 14 January 1987. Information surrounding the events of Park Jong-chol's death was initially suppressed. However, the Catholic Priests Association for Justice (CPAJ), revealed the truth to the public on 18 May, further inflaming public sentiment. CPAJ planned a June 10 demonstration in his honor. Due to this movement, called the June Struggle, the military regime of President Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo acceded to the key demands of direct presidential elections and restoration of civil liberties.
In 1990, due to Presidential Decree No. 12931, recruitment of police officers was increased by 2,133 including 1,256 C3 patrol officers.
After 1991: Organized as the National Police Agency On 24 July 1991, as proclaimed by Presidential Decree No. 13431, the National Police Agency and its affiliated organizations were organized. On 26 July, the revised Government Organization Act (Law No. 4268) legislated the Police Law (Law No. 4369), organized the National Police Agency and other affiliated organizations (Presidential Decree No. 13431), regulated operations of the Police Committee (Presidential Decree No. 13432) and adjusted the capacity of police organizations. On 31 July, the Korea Coast Guard was organized by Presidential Decree No. 13431. The Headquarter of National Security was renamed to the National Police Agency on 1 August.
In 1995, police substation and police box names were integrated into police offices. The National Police Agency and the affiliated organizations were recognized by Presidential Decree No. 14823.
On 8 August 1996, the National Police Agency and the affiliated organizations were reorganized (Presidential Decree No. 15136) in accordance with the transference of the position of the National Maritime Police Agency to the Ministry of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
On 29 September 2000, the Korean National Police Agency established the Anti Cyber Terrorism Center, divided into four teams: the Co-operative Operation Team, the Report and Warning Team, the Inspection Service Team, and the Skill-Development Team.
On 27 March 2001, in order to enforce the Regulation on the National Police Agency and affiliated organization, Administration Order No. 128, the Incheon International Airport Police Squad under the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency was established. Also, the Gimpo International Airport Police Squad was renamed to the Gimpo Airport Police Squad of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
In 2006, Jeju Province became a Self-Governing Province. For this reason, the Korean National Police Agency and the affiliated organizations (Presidential Decree No. 19588) was recognized. Operation regulations (Ministry of Government Affairs and Home Affairs Decree No. 338) were amended. The Jeju Local Police Agency was changed to Jeju Special Self-Governed Local Police Agency according to the Jeju Special Self-Governing Law.
In 2013, The Korean government organized the National Police Agency and the affiliated organizations by the Presidential Decree No. 24972. The Government Officials Act was enforced (No. 11530, enforced on 12 December 2012) that abolished contracted public officials etc. from the occupational categories of public officials and reduced the scope of public officials in special services. This change was reflected in the Organization of the National Police Agency and the affiliated organizations.
Organization
The Korean National Police Agency consists of one Deputy Commissioner General, eight bureaus, nine offices and thirty-two divisions. The Spokesperson (Director for Public Relations Division) is directly attached to the Commissioner General of the police. The nine offices are the Spokesperson's Office, the Planning and Coordination Office, the Police Administration and Human Resources Office, the Audit and Inspection Office, the ICT and Equipment Policy Office, the Scientific Investigation Office, and the Police Situation Control Center. The eight bureaus are Community Safety, Investigation Bureau, Traffic and Foreign Affairs Bureau, Public Security, Intelligence and National Security Bureaus.