One Year of Seoul Autonomous Police, Sharing Achievements and Commemoration Ceremony: "Improving the System Together with Citizens"

Various Events Including Photo Exhibition, White Paper Publication, and Policy Forum
Chairman Kim Hak-bae: "Building Consensus on Institutional Improvement with Citizens... Advancing to a Citizen-Centered Autonomous Police System"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee announced on the 5th that it will hold various events to share the achievements of Seoul's autonomous police on the occasion of the "1st anniversary of Seoul Autonomous Police" and to raise public awareness of the need for system improvement.

Over the past year, the committee has held 44 meetings and deliberated and resolved 318 agenda items related to autonomous police affairs to make citizens' daily lives safer. In this process, issues such as the absence of autonomous police officers and lack of personnel authority were identified.

The committee pointed out that although the authority to appoint promotions for police officers in charge of autonomous police affairs was granted to the city and provinces, it was impossible to conduct practical promotion reviews as they could not establish or operate promotion review committees. Furthermore, only national police officers existed, and there were no police officers belonging to local governments, making it difficult for cities and provinces to actively promote autonomous police policies. The jurisdiction of local police stations and substations closest to residents was transferred to the national police (112 situation room), making command impossible and cooperation difficult.

Under the theme "One Year of Seoul Autonomous Police with Citizens: Reflection and Leap," the committee plans to promote various linked events such as ceremonies, academic discussions, exhibitions, and booklet publications to raise the atmosphere for system improvement and lead to practical reforms.

For the 1st anniversary event, the committee is preparing six events under three main themes: "With Citizens, With Experts, With Cities and Provinces," and is actively promoting them. In particular, on the 12th, the committee will hold the Seoul Autonomous Police 1st Anniversary Ceremony and Policy Forum, where about 150 citizens, police officers, and experts will gather to share the roles and achievements of Seoul autonomous police and actively propose system improvements. The event will be attended by the Mayor of Seoul, the Chairperson of the City Council, the Superintendent of Education, the Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, as well as Choi Bul-am, Seoul's public relations ambassador and honorary police officer.

The event will include screenings of the video "One Year of Seoul Autonomous Police," presentations of the 1st anniversary policies, and presentations of various excellent public safety cases to share the achievements with citizens and attendees, actively informing that public safety has improved at the local level through the implementation of the autonomous police system. Additionally, citizen interview videos about the autonomous police system will be screened, and a "Resolution Rally for System Improvement" will be held to urge the government to improve the system.

The following policy forum will be chaired by Professor Lee Ki-woo of Inha University, who served as a member of the Regional Balanced Development Special Committee within the Presidential Transition Committee, and will hold a heated discussion under the theme "System Improvement Measures for a True Leap to Autonomous Police." After presentations by experts in the autonomous police field, Professor Lee Sang-hoon of Daejeon University and Professor Hwang Moon-kyu of Joongbu University, discussions on system improvement directions will be held with Kim Seong-seop, Secretary-General of the Seoul Autonomous Police Committee; Professor Choi Eung-ryeol of Dongguk University; Professor Choi Jong-sul of Dongui University; Kim Sang-dae, Police Policy Officer of Jeju Autonomous Police; and Yoon Tae-woong, Head of Autonomous Administration Research at the Korea Association of Provincial Governors.

Kim Hak-bae, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee, said, "At this meaningful time of the 1st anniversary of Seoul Autonomous Police, our goal is to widely publicize the achievements so far and promote the committee, as well as to form a consensus with citizens on the urgent need for system improvement." He added, "We will actively promote the committee and the autonomous police system by holding various linked events and strive to leap forward into a 'citizen-centered autonomous police system' through system improvements."