Interior ministry adds new serious crimes bureau to police chief directive

The interior ministry said Friday it has revised a directive governing how the minister commands agency chiefs, adding the head of the newly created Serious Crimes Investigation Bureau alongside the national police chief.

The revision expands the list of officials the interior minister directs to include the bureau's head, and broadens the scope of that oversight to cover serious crime investigations as well as police work. The change was made to keep related administrative rules in step with the two new laws, the ministry said.

The change implements two laws enacted in March that abolished the prosecution service and created two bodies in its place: the Public Prosecution Service under the justice minister and the Serious Crimes Investigation Bureau under the interior minister. Both laws took effect on Oct. 2.

The new bureau began operations on Oct. 2 with 1,900 staff, or 66.1 percent of its initial full complement of 2,874, according to the ministry.

The government has also submitted a budget proposal for the bureau of 472 billion won ($347 million) for 2027, comprising 230 billion won ($169 million) in personnel costs, 217 billion won ($160 million) in project spending and 25.2 billion won ($18.5 million) in basic operating expenses.

Kim Min-jae, a vice minister at the interior ministry who heads the preparation team for the bureau's launch, said the government will keep working closely with relevant agencies to support its establishment.

"The government will continue to cooperate closely with relevant agencies to support the launch and settlement of the bureau," Kim said. "We will do our utmost so that it investigates fairly and effectively in accordance with the law and principles and establishes itself as a capable and trusted professional investigative agency that protects people's lives."