The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), also known as the Korean

National Police (KNP), is run under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
As a national police force it provides all policing services throughout the
country.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety is a branch of the Government of

South Korea. It is responsible for national administration, management of
government organizations, and e-government.

Law enforcement services in Korea are provided by the KNPA, the national
police force.

KNPA responsibilities include criminal investigations, public safety, national

security, cyber-security, traffic control, counterterrorism and international
police cooperation.

The NPA is headquartered in Migeun-dong, Seodaemun, Seoul.

KNPA have 3 Important Divisions

FIRST IS THE SMPA

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA;) is the primary police

force for the South Korean capital city of Seoul; it is not an independent
police force in of itself, but is one of 16 provincial sub-divisions of the
National Police Agency. The SMPA is headquartered along with the
National Police Headquarters in Seoul itself.

HISTORY

The police force in Seoul was Gyeonggi-do Police Department, which was
brought into being on August 15, 1945. This was quickly followed up by the
creation of a National Police Force on October 21, and a more dedicated
Seoul Metropolitan Police Force on September 17, 1946.[2] This
organization underwent a series or reforms, including a renaming to the
Metropolitan Police Bureau in 1948, the creation of the National Assembly
Police Security Guards in 1951, the Seoul Mobile Police Corps ' creation in
1961, the Central Government Complex Police Security Guards in 1971,
which were quickly joined by the Airport Police Security Guards in 1973
and the Olympic Security Guards in 1985. Together, these divisions
became the present day Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in 1991,[2] with
"1 Deputy Commissioner General, 7 departments, 2 directors, 17 divisions
[and] 7 direct control squads.

Uniforms, organization, and ranks

Rank in Korean Rank in English Abbreviation Code

치안정감(治安正監) Chief Superintendent General Ch. Supt. Gen CSG

치안감(治安監) Senior Superintendent General Sen. Supt. Gen SCG

경무관(警務官) Superintendent General Supt. Gen. SG

총경(總警) Senior Superintendent Sen. Supt. SS

경정(警正) Superintendent Supt. S

경감(警監) Senior Inspector Sen. Ins. SI

경위(警衛) Inspector Ins. I

경사(警查} Assistant Inspector Ass. Ins. AI

경장(警長) Senior Policeman Sen. Pol. SP

순경(巡警) Policeman Pol. P

의무경찰(義務警察) Auxiliary Police Aux. AP

Uniforms
The working uniforms of the SMPA consist of dark green or black trousers,
light green or blue shirt and a black or white officer’s cap with emblems
corresponding to the above ranks. The dress uniform, which has remained
the same since 1945, consists of full black dress uniform and cap for male
officers, and similar blue dress uniforms for female officers.
2ND IS THE COMBAT POLICE
The Combat Police division of the National Police Agency is an anti-riot
paramilitary unit, of military conscripts. Its members deal with
counterintelligence and riot policing. It was established in 1967, during the
Third Republic.

The Combat Police are deployed at demonstrations and rallies where

violent disorder may occur. When such an event becomes violent they rush
in and contain the protestors with long batons and often, their metal
shields. When blocking the passage of illegal protesters, the Combat Police
use the "Passive Formation", where the shields are held up to make a
small wall. This is the most frequent formation used. However they are also
trained to retaliate, to the frequent attacks by protesters, by angling the
shield and pushing, or jabbing the shield at protestors in this formation.
When they are ordered to contain a protest that has become too violent,
they use the "offensive formation". In this case, the shields are angled
sideways, with the officers charging forward to break the riot.

3RD IS THE SOU

The KNP SOU, formerly known as KNP SWAT before it changed its
name,[citation needed] is a specialized unit to perform dangerous
operations. The unit's main mission is counter-terrorism, but it also can
include serving high-risk arrest warrants, performing hostage rescue and/or
armed intervention, and engaging heavily armed criminals.