[Exclusive] Police Abolish Security Divisions in Local Police Stations... Integrated into Metropolitan Police Agencies

Experiment to Strengthen Security Investigation Capabilities
Confusion Prevails Among Frontline Officers

The police are undertaking an organizational restructuring to abolish the security divisions in frontline police stations and integrate them at the metropolitan level. This is part of an experiment to strengthen security investigation capabilities.

According to the National Police Agency on the 20th, in eight regions including Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, Ulsan, Gwangju, and Sejong, the security divisions of frontline police stations will be abolished and integrated at the city/provincial police agency level. The plan is to pursue efficient organizational management in line with this police personnel reshuffle.

In the respective city/provincial police agencies, the security functions previously handled at the police station level will be grouped and operated as teams at the metropolitan level. The police station security divisions have been responsible for investigations into espionage activities and anti-state acts, protection of national secrets, and counter-espionage operations.

However, frontline officers are experiencing a confused atmosphere due to the sudden organizational restructuring. Mr. A, who works in the security division of a frontline police station in the metropolitan area, said, “Now that the police station security divisions are being abolished and merged at the metropolitan level, it is confusing.”

Since the transfer of counterintelligence investigation authority from the National Intelligence Service last year, the police have been making various attempts to strengthen security investigation capabilities. In August last year, the National Police Agency established the Security Investigation Bureau’s Security Crime Analysis Division. The purpose was to unify the previously scattered intelligence collection and information analysis functions related to security investigations to improve the accuracy of information and the expertise of counterintelligence investigations. Currently, under the Security Investigation Bureau, there are the Security Crime Analysis Division, Security Planning and Management Division, Security Investigation Command Division, Security Investigation Division 1, and Security Investigation Division 2.

A National Police Agency official said, “The security divisions handle protection of North Korean defectors and preparation for security situations, but the demand for security work varies greatly by frontline police station. Also, there are many tasks that require cooperation at the city/provincial police agency level or between police stations,” adding, “The organizational restructuring was pursued to promote efficient work execution.”