![Officials walk through the National Investigation Headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/21/rcv.YNA.20260803.PYH2026080313230001300_P1.jpg)
The Korean National Police Agency has begun recruiting preparatory staff ahead of the launch of a dedicated unit to investigate internal misconduct and corruption among its own officers.
The agency posted a notice on its internal bulletin board Friday announcing it would recruit three officers at the rank of inspector or below to handle preparatory work for the new unit, to be called the Important Duty Crime Investigation Unit. Those selected are expected to be assigned to investigation teams once the unit is formally established.
One inspector will oversee the overall launch preparations, while two officers at the rank of lieutenant or below will handle staffing and infrastructure, arrange leases for office space, furnishings and investigation vehicles, and set up and integrate the Criminal Justice Information System, known as KICS.
The agency's Investigation Planning and Coordination Office will accept applications until 1 p.m. Monday, after which a separate selection committee will be formed to review and choose candidates.
As part of its second-half personnel reshuffle, the agency plans to transfer and reorganize the investigative audit functions previously handled by the National Investigation Headquarters into the Human Rights Audit Office, and to formally launch the internal misconduct investigation unit at the same time.
The Important Duty Crime Investigation Unit will be established directly under the National Investigation Headquarters chief and is expected to comprise about 40 officers.
The agency had initially referred to the unit as the "Internal Corruption Investigation Unit" but recently changed the name to the Important Duty Crime Investigation Unit.
newday@heraldcorp.com
