SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday the police will soon wield the greatest power among government agencies, calling for the formation of a government body to be in charge of police reform.
The president made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting following the recent passage of a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act, which, when enacted, will completely strip the prosecution of all investigative authority, leaving such power solely to the police.
They also come after the discovery of the presumed body of a woman reported missing on the southern Jeju Island. A police officer on Jeju reportedly closed the missing person case without confirming her whereabouts or safety, prompting a public outcry over lax police investigations.
"As there is skepticism about whether (police) are qualified to exercise their great authority, I hope (the government) will consider how to reform the police, how to establish a (government) body" that will oversee police reform, Lee said.
The president specifically instructed the prime minister's office to gather public input and come up with a plan for establishing the envisioned body.
"Going forward, the police may exercise the greatest power among government agencies," the president said, adding that the public is greatly concerned about the change.
Lee pointed to what he called "recent serious public safety cases revealing irresponsibility" of the police, stressing that "unrelenting efforts should be made to minimize these problems and the system needs to be overhauled."
"Power, when concentrated, always creates problems. The level of responsibility should be strengthened to match the extent of the authority," the president said.
Turning to other issues, the president called for a "productive finance strategy" aimed at laying the foundation for greater future growth, advising officials not to make the mistake of becoming overly focused on managing financial figures.
The remarks came as the government and the National Assembly gear up to set next year's budget amid an expected rise in tax revenues stemming from a semiconductor boom related to artificial intelligence (AI).
"By making the most of the opportunities created by the industrial upheaval, (we) should bring about tangible improvement in people's lives," the president said, calling for a particular focus on strengthening the country's industrial competitiveness and reducing asset polarization.
The president also instructed officials to speed up the revision to the minimum age of criminal responsibility, saying he hopes for a "prompt conclusion" on the matter.
"I hope that law can be enacted at the earliest possible date after reviewing public opinion once again," the president said.
The government is currently considering lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility by one year from the current 14 for "serious crimes" amid a growing number of crimes committed by adolescents.
