The police are a symbol of the state power apparatus. As power goes, they are most frequently the closest to the citizenry. Korea's police were once called the "private army of the regime," but have since consistently walked down the road of democratization. They themselves have been proudly working to be reborn as "the citizens' police" and the "police of civil rights." Recent events, however, are a fresh demonstration of how much progress they still have to make.
In this the 60th year since their establishment the Korean police enjoy a better standing than ever before. They have long wanted to be able to engage in investigations independent of the prosecution, and now that is just around the corner. Despite many difficulties along the way, the "Police Civil Servant Law" has finally been rewritten. In the meantime, they have overlooked what is most important of all, which is that tragedies happen when the police do not stand with the people. Sadly, they have lost the modesty and sense of awareness they rightly should have in proportion to their elevated status and greater powers. In the use of excessive force at the farmers' protests, the attempt to cover up what happened, and National Police Agency commissioner Huh Joon Young's excuses about filling out his term in office, what you consistently saw was police bureaucracy and authoritarianism. They lack the humility to see what the country's true wishes are. Within the organization the mood was one in which officers were rooting for their commissioner because he had given them greater status and pride in the course of pursuing the authority to conduct independent investigations, and that shows you how much distance still exists between the police and the public.
The police now need to take a cold look themselves and resolve to be reborn. Finding ways to improve on how the police put down protests might actually be a secondary issue by comparison. We believe that issue will resolve itself naturally once the police are thoroughly ready and resolved to stand on the side of the citizens. We hope Huh's resignation will be a chance for that rebirth to take place.
The Hankyoreh, 30 December 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection]
[Editorial] Police Must Be Reborn |
