Police Shift Public Safety Policy... Seek to Change English Name to "KNPS"

Not an Agency Wielding State Power, but One Centered on Public Safety and Rights

Plans to Expand Public Access to Key Public Safety Indicators and Other Information

The police are shifting their focus in public safety policy away from handling cases and responding after the fact, toward providing police services centered on the public. They are also seeking to change the agency’s English name to “KNPS” to include the word “Service.”

At the weekly work meeting on October 19, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency Kim Jongcheol called for more proactive efforts to identify policies that can strengthen democratic accountability and public trust. “We will work harder to restore public trust by delivering police services centered on the public—informing people first and helping them whenever they need us,” he said.

The National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Reporter Kim Hyunmin

The police plan to expand the provision of key public safety indicators and other information to ensure transparency in police activities. The Korean National Police Agency will build a system that allows people to check the progress of reported cases at any time and will broaden the scope of notifications. In addition, while victims of crime have previously been informed of their rights only during victim interviews, the agency plans to improve its system so that information on various rights, protection measures, and support services can be provided repeatedly.

The agency also plans to post key public safety indicators, including the number of 112 emergency calls and traffic accidents, as well as traffic disruptions caused by rallies and events, at police stations and on its website, so that anyone can see the information at a glance.

The Korean National Police Agency is also seeking to change its English name from KNPA (Korea National Police Agency) to KNPS (Korea National Police Service) this week, which is “Police Week.” Although its Korean name will remain unchanged, “Gyeongchalcheong,” the change is intended to make the agency’s essential role and mission clear through its English name alone. It conveys the agency’s commitment to prioritizing public safety and rights rather than exercising the state’s public authority.

Other agencies that use “Service” in their English names include the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Prosecution Service (PS), and the National Tax Service (NTS).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.