INTERIOR MINISTER ON NEW POLICE BUREAU

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A new police bureau under the interior ministry officially launched on Tuesday. This comes 31 years after a government headquarters on keeping public order became an independent national police agency. Interior minister Lee Sang-min stressed the bureau will assist efforts so the police force can better serve the people.

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A police oversight bureau has been created under the interior ministry. The nation's interior minister noted the launch came after numerous trials and again reiterated, the bureau has nothing to do with actual police operations. Lee Sang-min stressed the bureau exists to support the police force. The bureau will assist the interior minister as he exercises rights regarding key personnel and policy decisions of the police.

[Soundbite] Lee Sang-min(Minister of Interior & Safety) : "The bureau will support the 140,000-strong police force to perform their jobs with greater comfort and dedication."

The minister also emphasized there is only one, united police force, likely aware of criticism that only one out of the bureau's 16 officials is a graduate of the Korean National Police University.

[Soundbite] Lee Sang-min(Minister of Interior & Safety) : "The bureau represents one police force that exists solely for the Korean people."

He said the bureau's three divisions are headed by a police university graduate, a non-graduate and an interior ministry official, calling it an even distribution. The bureau's inaugural chief Kim Soon-ho underscored the importance of communication. He said he is fully aware of the concerns voiced by the public and police colleagues and promised to ease those concerns through better communication. The first few items to be reviewed by the bureau reportedly include measures to improve police wages as well as the promotion system for long-serving officers.