Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police to Strengthen Investigations on Food Safety, Environment, and Public Safety This Year

The Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police will launch a comprehensive investigative initiative this year targeting illegal activities that directly harm residents’ daily lives, with a focus on food safety, environmental protection, and safeguarding vulnerable groups.

On January 13, the Special Judicial Police released its “2026 Investigation Plan,” detailing these efforts.

According to the plan, the Special Judicial Police will move away from traditional enforcement-centered methods. Instead, they will expand collaboration with relevant agencies and conduct more field-focused investigations from the planning stage. They will also select emerging illegal activities and businesses with frequent complaints for more precise investigations.

Additionally, before launching enforcement actions, the police will carry out public awareness campaigns and guidance to prevent illegal acts. By concentrating on key violations by type, they aim to enhance both the rationality and acceptance of their investigations.

In the area of food safety, the scope will be expanded to include food items in high demand during Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, school meal suppliers, large restaurants and bakeries, coffee manufacturing and processing establishments, and online food retailers. The entire process of food production, distribution, and sales will be thoroughly inspected to ensure a safe environment for everyone from children to the elderly.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

In the environmental sector, the focus will be on cracking down on illegal activities closely linked to daily life. These include the illegal emission of hazardous gases, unauthorized discharge of wastewater during the rainy season, improper disposal of medical waste, and illegal emissions from industrial facilities transitioning to carbon neutrality and clean fuels. Investigation efforts will be concentrated on alleviating residents’ concerns about climate and environmental crises at the local level.

Crimes targeting vulnerable groups-such as illegal distribution of pharmaceuticals, illegal private lending schemes aimed at economically disadvantaged individuals, corruption in social welfare organizations, and violations of the Youth Protection Act-will be addressed through year-round investigations and strict enforcement.

The Special Judicial Police will not simply disclose detection statistics, but will also share investigation results and crime cases with residents to raise public awareness.

Ki Ido, head of the Special Judicial Police, stated, “All our activities prioritize the safety and trust of the residents above all else. We will relentlessly pursue illegal activities that occur out of sight, proving on the ground that ‘there are no exceptions before the law, and the daily lives of our residents will always be protected.’”