"To Strengthen Police Accountability Investigations, 'Investigation Result Reports' Must Standardize Judgment Document Format"

National Police Agency and Korean Police Law Association Joint Academic Conference

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwanju] A proposal has been made to standardize investigation result reports into a 'judgment document' format to enhance the professionalism of police investigations.

Professor Park Noseop of Hallym University stated on the 28th at the online academic conference jointly hosted by the National Police Agency and the Korean Police Law Association titled "The Role and Tasks of Responsible Police Investigations and Achievements in Police Law Research," "Due to changes in the criminal procedure environment and the need for investigative police to respond proactively, it is necessary to introduce a verification process in criminal investigations and improve the method of drafting investigation results," advocating this approach.

Professor Park explained, "Since investigation and trial share the same purpose of fact-finding, it is natural that investigation result reports and judgment documents have formal and substantive similarities," adding, "Presenting investigation results that suspects and defense attorneys can accept can reduce objections and disputes in court, and also lower litigation costs."

Regarding this, Professor Lee Gisu of Chonnam National University, who participated as a discussant, said, "I strongly agree that drafting investigation result reports in the format of judgment documents through practical training has advantages in both verification and trials."

This seminar was conducted with detailed themes of "Strengthening the Professionalism and Responsibility of Investigative Police," a core task of police investigations, and "A Retrospective and Evaluation of 20 Years of Police Law Research."

Kim Changryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, said in his congratulatory address, "With the reform of investigative authority, the police can now take responsibility as the final authority in investigations," promising, "We will continue follow-up measures so that the public can feel the benefits of the reform of the investigative system."

Lee Donghee, President of the Korean Police Law Association (Professor at the Korean National Police University), said, "To properly establish an advanced investigation and criminal justice system, I want to emphasize the realization of decentralization and checks and balances through the full implementation of the principle of separation of investigation and prosecution, diversification of investigative authority, and the realization of the ideals and values of public judicial participation."