South korea: Acting police chief Kim Jong-chul reaffirmed on Monday the commitment to investigative reform, including a potential increase in the number of investigators, following high-profile allegations of police misconduct.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the police recently launched a dedicated body to lead organizational reforms, aligning with a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act that shifts investigative power from the prosecution to the police. This action comes amidst scrutiny over alleged misconduct, particularly an improperly closed missing person case on Jeju Island.

Kim Jong-chul acknowledged the system's failures and leadership responsibilities in a briefing, emphasizing corrective measures. The case in question involved a missing woman whose case was closed by a police officer without verifying her safety, only for her body to be discovered months later. Citing workload concerns, Kim noted that a single investigator managed an average of 134 cases last year, prompting considerations to increase police investigators and explore AI or retired officers for routine tasks.

These statements followed Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok's call for enhanced police reform. Kim Jong-chul confirmed that no fraudulently closed cases have been found in the reexamination of approximately 310,000 missing person cases over three years, with 128,000 cases reviewed so far and plans to complete the process by November.