Lee calls on police to enforce law in meticulous, fair manner

▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during an appointment ceremony of police lieutenants and captains held at the Korean National Police Academy in Asan, about 85 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 17, 2026. (Yonhap)

▲ Newly appointed police officers salute President Lee Jae Myung during an appointment ceremony held at the Korean National Police Academy in Asan, about 85 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 17, 2026. (Yonhap)

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Lee calls on police to enforce law in meticulous, fair manner

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called on police to enforce the law in a meticulous and fair manner to earn public trust while urging them to adopt advanced technologies to tackle increasingly sophisticated crimes.

Lee underscored the importance of police service during a ceremony appointing police lieutenants and captains at the Korean National Police University in Asan, about 85 kilometers south of Seoul.

"All of the police's authority comes from the firm trust of the people," he said, urging officers to become "a people's police" dedicated to serving the public.

His remarks came as police are set to become the primary investigative authority under the ongoing prosecution reform plan, which will strip prosecutors of most investigative powers and refocus them on indictments when a government reorganization law takes effect in October.

"Each officer's judgment and conduct set the standard for how state authority is exercised toward the public," Lee said. "Therefore, the process of police officers' law enforcement must be carried out in a meticulous, fair and transparent manner, and the outcomes must be just."

Lee also urged the police to adopt the latest technologies to better respond to increasingly sophisticated and cross-border crimes.

"Police should adopt cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and strengthen cooperation with foreign counterparts and relevant agencies to proactively detect and prevent potential crimes," he said.

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