Enhancing Safety Measures for Vulnerable Populations : Focused on the civil-police cooperation system

The issue of vulnerable populations in South Korea has been a longstanding concern, with various attempts made to address it over the years. However, these efforts have not yielded satisfactory outcomes. On the contrary, the problem has intensified quantitatively and qualitatively, becoming a more entrenched social issue. The lack of visible progress can be attributed to the structural problems of the national economy. At the same time, there is a limitation in the fragmented approach of addressing the issues of vulnerable populations solely from an economic perspective. The category of vulnerable populations includes not only those facing economic challenges but also socially and culturally marginalized groups, as well as individuals with illnesses or disabilities who are unable to lead lives within the normal range of society on their own. These groups are being perpetuated and expanded under the neglect of the state and society. Thus, resolving the issues faced by vulnerable populations must focus on enhancing social safety measures to improve their quality of life. To achieve this, it is essential to establish a safety system tailored to each type of vulnerable population and create an environment where this system can operate effectively. Specifically, this involves setting up dedicated departments within police forces, strengthening patrol functions for identifying and detecting vulnerable groups, and building a civil-police cooperation safety system. In addition, there should be continuous training of specialized personnel to care for these populations, along with the establishment of support systems to assist them. Fundamentally, the need to enhance the cohesion among disbanded community members is to ensure a comprehensive community safety net.