By Kwon Byoung Mok (kwon0767@korea.ac.kr) 

Crime, an unwelcomed guest in our lives, is taking place more frequently as time goes by. In 2001, 1,860,687 crimes were reported to police only resulting in 1,642,118 criminals. The number of crimes was 1,752,598 in 2012, while 1,382,463 criminals were under arrest in total. The crime rate seems to be decreasing but the gap between occurrences and arrest has grown since 2001. Under these circumstances in which fewer criminals are punished and crimes are more sophisticated, how “guardians of truth” repel this evil?

Investigation means an act performed by official organizations such as the prosecutors’ office and police with the purpose of capturing and punishing criminals. For example, A, who lives in Seoul, has just killed his friend, B, and sneaks away. A neighbor C reports this fact to police and the investigation starts. Police receive the notification and if the case is believed to be true, the perpetrators are charged with a crime and an arrest warrant is issued for A. From then, A is treated as a suspect and the investigation actually starts.

Once the warrant has been issued, detectives arrest whoever killed B. In this case, if police become aware of the case before C reports it, police start an investigation voluntarily. If A is captured on the scene, prosecutors and judicial police can immediately arrest A. On the other hand, if he has already run away when a detective arrived at the scene, the detective narrows down suspects. To finally apprehend the criminal, assist from Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) is necessary. Based on the evidence provided by CSI, detectives narrow down the suspects. If the suspects are considered as flight risks, a prosecutor can imprison them on the grounds of the Criminal Procedure Code with arrest warrant.

During the investigation, prosecutors, and detectives ask CSI to find evidence. If CSI finds fingerprint, footprints or DNA of the scene, they send them to the National Forensic Service (NFS) for examination. Profilers also help to capture criminals based on psychological data. They analyze the criminals’ behaviors and fully understand their characters. One of their jobs includes predicting the most probable place where criminals might be. Profilers are especially important in the case of violent crime committed by psychopaths. In the end, hairs from A are found and police raid A’s apartment and capture him.

The prosecutor of the incident indicts A for murder and that is the end of investigation. If the prosecutor does not indict, that is another way of ending the investigation. Once A is indicted, the responsibility for punishing A is shifted from the prosecutor to a judge. The importance of prosecutors is seen here. As they monopolize prosecution, they are the ones who bring people evenly before judges following proper procedures. If they prosecute a person adopting inappropriately article, the person reprimanded is not the judge, but the prosecutor. With the importance of prosecution, the following jobs greatly assist in capturing the real criminal. 

▲ Photographed by Choi Ji Won

Contact, Conceive, Catch   

CSI in Korea collects objects by ob­serving the spot, taking photos, finger­prints in crime scene that are assumed to be. They examine and check them wheth­er the objects can tell the past in scientific ways. Their main purpose is to thoroughly go over crime scene to get criminals’ trace and help detectives decide whether police can start investigating. 

Min, who would prefer to remain anonymous, said his reason of becoming CSI. Though he currently works in CSI, he used to be a detective. Before he became police officer, the word CSI did not even exist in Korea. “I did not know police can finish criminal case using scientific method,” said he. Min first heard the word CSI while he worked at the section in charge of violent crime. “Crime scene is a report of event. I felt gathering crucial evidence on the spot fascinating. The fact that my effort toward investigation can suggest serious solution caught my mind,” Min said.

When cruel crimes occur, there are enormous amount of works for CSI to do. Crime scene identification while recording the case, requesting opinions of the National Police Agency and National Forensic Service are the ones. Korean CSI members all agreed that people terribly act when a crime occurred; people make crime scene clean. Indeed, domestic or foreign criminal dramas where cool police officers or citizens run through crime sites and touch everything ruined general thoughts about protecting crime scene. According to CSI, people should not touch anything right after they witness or crime occurred. “People believe we can find out every single thing including fingerprints on a surface of leather wallet. The problem is the technology is not high that much,” Min explained. Being curious while touching everywhere on the crime scene will make the situation worse. For protecting crime site, Min suggests people stay away from the scene. Even police officers should not enter the spot unless there are injured people.

CSI dispatches its member right after someone reports case to police. In a cruel crime case, CSI and detectives get down to investigation. The overall direction of investigation is decided based on what CSI and detectives found. Every move in crime scene except that of CSI harms the place. After CSI arrives in crime scene, they start collecting finger, footprint, a drop of blood, caps or gloves that criminals had wore, a hair. They even extract DNA from a peel of the grape, and able to get as minute evidence from a stitch on a wall that criminals jumped over. Min says escaping crime scene without leaving trace is impossible. “The phrase ‘Every contact leaves trace’ is literally true. The reason all cases are not solved is that the evidence is too small to collect, or the collector did not find the trace,” Min stated.

There are three ways of collecting finger, foot prints, DNA, and minute evidence, which are using liquid, gas, solid. Seoungbuk Police Station showed a simple way of extracting fingerprints out of a small plastic coke bottle using a gas method. They first grabbed the bottle and hung it in a glass case putting peroxide cotton on the bottom of it at the same time. “If we drop a high-strength adhesive on the cotton, certain chemical reaction occurs and gas coming out of it sticks to the surface of the bottle. Then the fingerprint is exposed out. With powder, we collect the fingerprints,” Min explained.   

▲ Photographed by Jeong Ji Hyun

Detectives, Diligence Perfects Investigation

By Kang Hyun Ji (bisuraa@korea.ac.kr)

Generally, a detective is a police officer who is in charge of the investigation of a common crime. When such an incident takes place, a detective collects evidence, identifies suspects and then holds an enquiry. Such actions look quite simple. Nevertheless, when The Granite Tower (GT) visited the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency of Seongbuk-gu, detective Ko Yeong Seung of the major crime squad gave us the inside story.

Since majoring in Law, Ko first stepped into the police office as an investigation specialist of economic crimes in order to put his major to the career. Also having worked in the intellectual crime squad and the cyber crime squad, now Ko works in the major crime squad where he catches the criminals of murder, robbery, sexual offense, theft, arson and organized violence. If there is an emergency call for a help, he runs out to the crime scene. When he first arrives at the scene, he and his partner tries to find out any evidence that will lead them to a perpetrator.

Based on the evidence and the testimonies that Ko earned from the first investigation, he narrows down the scope of inquiry. Nevertheless, specifying the identity of an offender is the hardest job since major crimes are mostly committed by strangers. Therefore, comparing to the investigation of economic crimes which is mostly about checking whether the accusation is valid or not, detectives in major crime squad actively go out to gather more evidence. “Detectives in major crime, thus, need to be diligent because a clue never just falls into their lap,” said Ko.

Despite all the diligence of detectives, investigations are getting harder and harder for officers. Nowadays, criminals are well aware of investigative techniques from the media. This helps criminals use more inventive and sophisticated crime skills. Moreover, just as the Internet has greatly influenced society, crimes that exploit the Internet also greatly increased. While laws have advanced in the manner of protecting individual rights in online world, they create difficulties for inspectors by requiring them to take too many steps to acquire personal information of certain Internet users. “I understand the necessity of protecting private lives of people, but still those laws also need to support the process of criminal investigation,” Ko said.

One of the biggest hardships that a detective faces originates from having too small an authority to investigate. Today’s courts have a tendency to emphasize the principle of evidentiary justice, yet detectives do not have the authority to request a writ or warrant; only the prosecutors have its authority. According to the code of criminal procedure, the main agents of a criminal investigation are both the prosecutor and judicial police officer. Nevertheless, detectives must follow the direction of prosecutors. Unlike the investigational structure of countries like Germany, Japan and the U.K. in which police have the independent right to request a warrant, Korean police do not. Ko strongly expressed his dismay saying, “Especially when there is no material evidence, it is very important to procure the witness affidavit. There is, however, no institutional device which makes this possible.”

▲ Photographed by Choi Jiyoung

Criminal Profiler, The Real Story

By Kwon Su Hyeon (shkwon92@korea.ac.kr)

The term “criminal profiler” likely conjures images from the popular shows CSI and The Profiler which hit the screen. While such dramas and movies have helped raise awareness of crime profiling as a profession, they have failed to separate fact from fiction, building up a false image of profilers. It is important for those considering profiling as a future career to know that profilers live a different life from the one we fantasize.

Bae Sang Hoon (’87, Chemistry), the first ever profiler in Korea, was generous enough to meet The Granite Tower (GT) to talk all about the life of a profiler. Before getting started, Bae wanted to draw very fine distinctions between a criminal psychologist and a criminal profiler. Criminal psychologists are scholars who simply study criminal psychology to figure out ways to decrease crime and how to respond to crime suspects. Thus, they do not get directly involved in the investigation of violent crimes. On the other hand, criminal profilers, such as those affiliated to the National Police Agency, give practical assistance in the process of arresting a suspect.

A profiler mainly deals with identifying the perpetrator of a crime based on an analysis of the nature of the offense and the manner in which it was committed. The criminal's personality makeup is determined from his or her choices made before, during, and after the crime. This information is combined with other relevant details such as past affairs and physical evidence, and then compared with the characteristics of known personality types in order to develop a working description, or a profile of the offender.

Currently in Korea, there are approximately 40 profilers who are officially registered as part of the National Police Agency. According to Bae, since the job requires much endurance and mental strength, many quit, unable to cope with all the stress. “Since our job mostly involves confronting real criminals and real crimes, we cannot avoid seeing brutal scenes and confronting dead bodies. When I first smelled the dead bodies, I had such a hard time that I could not eat for months.”

Most profilers hold doctorates in Psychology, with specializations in human and criminal behavior. However, required studies are not limited to such areas. Bae became a profiler based on his expertise in the field of life history. Thus, he reconstructs the criminal’s family history in order to figure out the initial cause of their action.

It has been only eight years since this method of scientific crime investigation came into Korea. As can be expected by its short history, an environment for effective investigation has not yet been constructed. “The situation in Korea in the area of profiling is much different from that of the United States (U.S.). While we suffer under a lack of human resources in this area, the U.S. has a well systemized program for training profilers, such as that conducted by the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) in their Behavioral Science Unit,” said Bae. In Korea, however, anyone who belongs to the National Police Agency can take part in investigating real crimes though they have not received any education or gained enough work experience in profiling.

Moreover, the fundamental reason this profession has not yet been fully developed in Korea is because of the social conception about the field of criminal psychology. In Korea, criminal psychology is looked down as a minor branch within the field of psychology. On the other hand, in the U.S., there is a separate field of criminology which is further subdivided into criminal sociology and criminal psychology. Thus, studies within criminal psychology are highly developed in the U.S., producing many experts who can take charge of investigations into intricate crimes.

▲ Photographed by Choi Ji Won

Hidden Angel of Justice: Prosecutor

By Kim Mun Jeong (munjeongkim@korea.ac.kr)

When people hear the word “prosecutor,” they often imagine a sturdy, cold-blooded man in a clean-ironed suit. Along with the male-oriented stereotype, people often have a negative sentiment, as if the prosecutors actually arrest the innocent ones and spy on the people. Such stereotype ordinarily comes from the overflowing influx of crime dramas and movies. In reality though, prosecutors burden themselves as the nation’s face who fulfills justice in society.

“Just like how doctors treat ill patients and prevent the continuation of illness, the prosecutor’s role is to treat the corrupted part of society and prevent it from continuing.” said Kwon Sung Hee, the prosecutor of the Seoul District Public Prosecutors’ Office (SDPP).

In Korea, prosecutors are part of the Ministry of Justice but they are able to independently hold investigations and file appeals. As the representative of the nation or the public interest, prosecutors generally fulfill their role by investigating crime and instigating legal proceedings in the court. In a criminal case, the prosecutor is able to command and lead the police in order to apprehend the situation, gather evidence and eventually prosecute a case to the court. In a civil case, prosecutors also have the right to declare incompetent, interfere the property management of individuals and give a closing order to a company.

For prosecutor Kwon, she works as the only female prosecutor in the public security sector of the SDPP. Due to the fact that prosecutors are relocated every two to three years, she has worked in Suwon and Daegu, and in 2011 was appointed as the prosecutor of public peace, one of the core departments within the SDPP. Her main roles in this field includes securing the nation’s crisis and become a leading model for public security.

When asked about how prosecutor Kwon chose her job, she recalled the years of studying during her youthful days. According to Kwon, she had to face multiple failures and doubts until those piled up and became her stepping stones in her prosecutor life. “When working as a prosecutor, you are faced with many hardships including continuous accusations from the media and the public and failures in conducting investigations My personal experience before becoming a prosecutor, really helped me to get through those hardships one by one.”

In Korea, the sudden influx of women prosecutors has been a hot issue, but for prosecutor Kwon, it was a “normal phenomenon.” She claimed, “Now that women have almost the equal chance and educational opportunity with men, it is not surprising that more women are becoming prosecutors.” However, Kwon did acknowledge the hardship working as a female prosecutor. Working both as the Nation’s guardian for justice and a mother of a child, Kwon says balancing these two sectors in life is the hardest part of working as a female prosecutor. “Working in the SDPP means going to work before 9 A.M. and almost never leaving the office at the usual closing hour.”

When asked about the most memorable experience she had as a prosecutor, she mentioned a sexual assault case where a girl was semi-forced to be in a sexual relationship for years by a man who was more than 20 years older than her. “She was a runaway girl who needed a place to stay. It was hard to prosecute the man as guilty because we did not have a specific date or time of when the assault began.” In order to prosecute the man, it was important to locate the specific details of the crime. Despite the difficulties in the investigation, Kwon did not give up and spent extra time with the victim and held on to the investigation for a long period of time. Due to her efforts, the suspect was eventually pronounced guilty and was sent to jail.

▲ Photographed by Kwon Byoung Mok

Real Life Crime Scene Investigation: National Forensic Service 

By Yu Dong Kyun donky180@korea.ac.kr 

The National Forensic Service (NFS) conducts forensic studies, mostly on crimes that require serious inspection. With Seo Joong Seok as the director, NFS has chosen accuracy as its most crucial principle towards conducting research. NFS is constituted of medical jurisprudence, forensic science, otology and technical research, and gene verification departments, made up of talented researchers all of whom, dedicated to bringing justice to light, and aiding in solving crimes. 

▲ Provided by NFS

To most people, NFS and its departments appear quite extraordinary. The manner in which researchers at NFS handle things make some people think that they have to be strict, accurate and always rational. This is inevitable since the process of solving a crime or investigating one requires complete attention.

According to Kim Yu Hoon (’83, Medicine), the director of NFS's central district office, NFS is the only forensics service institution in Korea. Kim says, “NFS not only deals with requests from the police force, but also collaborates with the Prosecutors’ Office, the court, and other investigating authorities.” Kim uses a metaphor in describing how NFS departments are organized, by saying “NFS is more like a small university. Our institution has every department that exists in a college of science. Medical jurisprudence is one example to begin with. Every year, each department recruits young and talented researchers or an investigator depending on the department’s needs.”

▲ Provided by NFS

Division of Forensic Medicine

The Encyclopedia of Medicine Study defines medical jurisprudence as the application of medical knowledge to legal matters. In other words, medical jurisprudence aids in revealing the truth of a crime and convicting criminals by applying sophisticated medical knowledge. By digging up the truth, medical jurisprudence practitioners not only uncover crimes and their perpetrators, but also aid in protecting the rights of the innocent.

According to Kim, a medical examiner conducts an interview with a detective and the bereaved family. Kim, a medical examiner himself, examines a body by dissecting it. He takes blood samples and examines the contents of the stomach. He also gathers possible evidence from the crime scene. He then submits a written statement of his expert opinion and conducts field studies. Occasionally, he gives testimony in court to add authenticity to his written opinion.

A medical examiner also identifies bodies involved in massive disasters, such as the 2003 Daegu subway tragedy. Kim, a specialist in pathology, regularly gives lectures to students in medical colleges and to police officers. Outside the NFS, Kim writes his own research articles and conducts his own studies.

While internal medicine and surgical departments help people to live better lives by lengthening life expectancy and improving health care, medical jurisprudence increases the administration of justice. Usually during a criminal case, medical jurisprudence practitioners provide a postmortem examination and other crucial evidence that may aid detectives in solving their case. Meanwhile in civil affairs, medical jurisprudence investigators aid in giving expert opinion in gene examinations. Medical jurisprudence is important to police and victims' relatives because it reveals the exact cause of death.

Currently the department of medical jurisprudence is divided into a histopathological laboratory, forensic odontology, and medicolegal autopsy service center. Recently, NFS decided to open a local medical jurisprudence office in the Korea University Medical College (KUMC) and the Catholic University Medical College (CUK) in order to conduct efficient and practical research. A forensic medicine department mainly focuses on reporting the results of several crucial factors in a person’s death such as time, cause, and type of death. This division has recently come up with a digital based Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) as analog documents are easily lost.

▲ Provided by NFS

Division of Forensic Science

The drug and toxicology division conducts extensive studies on chemicals that are suspected to cause death or have any influence on a human body. Chemicals are put in two categories; specific toxic substances and toxic substances. While toxic substances influence health and the environment, specific toxic substances may impose a high threat to the body, thus deadly poisons belong to this category. The drug and toxicology division contains three sections: the drug analysis section, food analysis section, and toxicology section. Together, they conduct research to analyze and identify toxic substances and pesticides in post-mortem biological samples.

More specifically, the drug and toxicology division deals with unidentified medical herbs, illegally-produced medicines, anesthetics, hypnotics, natural medicines and cosmetics. From biological samples such as blood, stomach contents, urine, tissue, bile, spinal fluid, and bone marrow, researchers discover traces of chemical substances to verify the exact cause of death. The food analysis section deals with adulterated food and contaminated substances in illegal foods, raw and unprocessed foods, and food additives.

The DNA Analysis Division first started as a biological department of NFS in 1999. In July 2004 it became the DNA Analysis Division as DNA verification technology had improved. The NFS DNA Analysis Division is comprised of seven teams: genetic analysis, missing child investigations, genetic information, genetic suspect searches, forensic biology and two genetic research teams.