July 16 (Asia Today) — The South Korean government apologized Thursday over allegations that police mishandled and concealed aspects of the Jang Yun-gi murder case, announcing plans for an external investigative body staffed largely by about 100 civilians.

Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Ho-jung announced measures to eradicate corruption in police investigations and strengthen democratic oversight during a public address at the Government Complex Seoul.

“The head of the investigative team in the Jang Yun-gi case has been arrested on suspicion of destroying evidence and indications of deliberate collusion and preferential treatment by the investigation team are emerging one after another,” Yoon said.

“I offer my deepest condolences and sympathy to the victim’s family and sincerely apologize for causing concern to the public,” he said.

Yoon said the government would overhaul the investigative system and remove officers involved in corruption to restore public trust damaged by negligent and concealed investigations.

The government plans to introduce a comprehensive rotation system for police personnel to prevent improper relationships based on regional ties.

Police officers also would be required to report cases involving their spouses, parents, grandparents, children or grandchildren. The officers would then be removed from those investigations under a conflict-of-interest system.

Senior superintendents are generally reassigned every year while superintendents rotate every one to two years and inspectors every four to five years.

A police reform task force will consider whether different rotation periods should apply to investigative team leaders and working-level investigators.

The government also will establish an internal corruption investigation unit reporting directly to the head of the National Office of Investigation.

The unit will investigate corruption and misconduct involving officers at local police stations, provincial police agencies, the Korean National Police Agency and the National Office of Investigation.

An independent investigation and human rights oversight body also will be established under the National Police Commission to monitor police investigations.

Civilian investigators with specialized expertise will independently examine negligent or unfair investigations and cases in which police fail to comply with prosecutors’ requests for supplementary investigations.

The National Police Commission would use the findings to request disciplinary or personnel action from the commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency.

Yoon said the government was initially considering an organization of about 100 investigators.

“The police agency’s current plan is to staff it mostly with civilian investigators and exclude active-duty police officers,” he said.

Whether former police officers may participate and the specific qualifications required of investigators will be determined through legislation and public hearings.

The government also plans to reorganize police investigation review committees to center them on citizens and outside experts. It will expand the types of cases involving socially vulnerable people in which objections may be filed.

Additional checks and balances are planned between the police and the Prosecution Service, which is scheduled to replace the current prosecutors’ office.

A prosecutor could request the replacement of an investigative team or police agency when police fail to carry out a supplementary investigation request and a fair investigation becomes difficult.

Police also would be required to respond immediately when prosecutors request a joint investigation of an important case approaching its statute of limitations.

The government said the planned Serious Crimes Investigation Agency also could be authorized to investigate crimes and misconduct by judicial police officers from other investigative agencies.

Acting National Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong said police would implement the measures quickly and sincerely consider additional forms of external oversight.

“We once again sincerely apologize to the victim’s family and the public,” Yoo said. “We will uncover the truth through a thorough investigation and severely punish those responsible.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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