Illegal candlelight vigils protesting the resumption of U.S. beef imports turned the capital, particularly the Gwanghwamun area, into "a liberated area" every night from early May to mid-July, severely downgrading government and police power and breaching legal order. Police officers attempting to detain protesters suffered the humiliation of being stripped of their uniforms by the masses.

The police could have retreated no further, but their governance is once again prompt and effective. The use of tear gas and dyed-water guns helped quell protests. Ringleaders were detained, arrest warrants issued, and the vigils have subsided. If the police deal effectively with these wrongdoers and other demonstrations, like labor disputes, they will enhance their and the government’s power and firmly re-establish order. The recent uproar should turn misfortune around and actually help advance the country.

Effective policing is essential for Korea’s development into a truly advanced nation. But most people, from the political elite to ordinary citizens, feel minor violations equate to a flexible society. We should no longer leave illegal, violent protestors unchecked, allowing them to threaten police officers with weapons yet think of them as gallant heroes. Police officers are rarely assaulted in civilized countries.

Unless the police deal strictly with lawbreakers, our society could disintegrate. We must cement the rule of law by establishing the authority of the police, thereby guaranteeing basic human rights.

The police force is essential to Korean infrastructure. We should seriously consider how to nourish our law enforcers for the best of society.

The column was contributed by Lee Kwan-hee, a professor of law at Korea National Police University.