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[Unprepared for the Oct. 2 Overhaul of the Criminal Justice System ②]
Experienced investigators continue to leave
One in three police officers with attorney qualifications resigns
“Promotion bottlenecks and rank-based retirement rules must be addressed”

“You’re a lawyer, so you have other ways to make a living. Why don’t we give this promotion opportunity to A?”

This was a conversation that attorney B, a former police officer, had with a superior before leaving the police force two years ago. B said, “Becoming a lawyer to enhance my professional expertise actually worked against me when it came to promotion,” adding, “If I had seen any real prospect of advancement, I would not have left the police.” B is a graduate of the Korean National Police University who later attended law school.

As investigative authority becomes increasingly concentrated in the police following the Oct. 2 overhaul of the criminal justice system, the police are making significant efforts to expand their investigative workforce. However, both inside and outside the organization, concerns are growing that rather than simply increasing the number of investigators, the priority should be preventing experienced personnel from leaving in order to improve the overall quality of investigations. In particular, there are increasing calls for special measures, including a separate promotion system designed to encourage long-term service among lawyers recruited through special hiring programs and officers in the specialized investigative career track.

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Chon Hyeong hwan, an attorney at MegaX Law Office and a member of the 22nd graduating class of the Korean National Police University, said, “The police organization does not give officers special treatment simply because they hold a law license. Having an attorney qualification does not give you priority in job assignments, nor does it result in higher pay. Under those circumstances, it is only natural that many people would choose to build up their police experience and then leave to open their own practice or join a major law firm rather than remain in the organization.”

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