The Private Security Industry in South Korea: A Familiar Tale of Growth, Gaps and the Need for Better Regulation

Button, Mark; Park, Hyeonho; Lee, Julak

doi:10.1057/palgrave.sj.8350015

Cited by 21 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…In South Korea, the only significant research upon security officers has focused upon numbers and regulatory issues (Lee 1995, 2001, Button et al 2006. In 2005, there were a total of 115,845 security officers in South Korea compared to 93,271 police officers.…”

Section: Security Officers In South Koreamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Table 1 illustrates, between 1978 and 2005 there has been an exponential increase, with a rise from 4991 officers in 1978 to 115,845 officers in 2005, a 2320% increase. This masks what is likely to be an even bigger security officer cohort, because in-house security officers are not regulated and therefore not included in these figures, and these could represent as many as 77,000 unaccounted security officers (Button et al 2006). Security officers working under contract are regulated in South Korea through the Security Service Industry Act 1976 and its various amendments and supporting statutes.…”

Section: Security Officers In South Koreamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Security officers and the policing of private space in South Korea: profile, powers and occupational hazards

Button

Park

2009

Policing and Society

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This paper provides empirical data on security officers in South Korea. It begins by examining broader international research on security officers identifying key traits, before assessing the findings from this research, which are based upon interviews with 60 security officers drawn from three distinct sites where they are commonly used in South Korea. These include an apartment complex, factory and retail outlet. The findings suggest several parallels with other empirical research on security officers in the United Kingdom and USA, including low commitment to job, long working hours, feelings of alienation and experience of abuse and violence. The research also shows a distinct older profile of security officers at two of the assignments and most significantly, very low levels of confidence in their knowledge of their legal tools as well as rare use of them.

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Section: Security Officers In South Koreamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Security Officers In South Koreamentioning

confidence: 99%

Security officers and the policing of private space in South Korea: profile, powers and occupational hazards

Button

Park

2009

Policing and Society

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“…One is related to its weak oversight, regulation and low quality of service, problems which are familiar to one extent or another to private security researchers in the other countries (De Waard 1999, Button et al 2006, Van Steden and Sarre 2007. In Lithuania, the lack of oversight and regulation stems in part from an insufficiently developed legal framework that significantly increases the industry's authority and discretion, whilst failing to create adequate institutional and procedural safeguards.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Privatisation of state security and policing in Lithuania

Juška

2009

Policing and Society

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This paper examines the dynamics of the privatisation of state security and policing in post-Soviet Lithuania. Two periods in the evolution of the industry, each with its distinct set of actors, dynamics and types of services offered are defined and analysed. In the early 1990s, the private security industry was characterised by competition, coercion and negotiations among private protection organisations (or criminal rackets) and four different factions of downsized ex-Soviet military, security and the police force personnel. Since the late 1990s, a consolidation and dramatic expansion of the industry has occurred as private security firms, national as well as transnational, emerged as the dominant institutional form of private security provision in the country. The paper argues that the restructuring and growth experienced by the security industry, since the late 1990s, are only indirectly related to a significant increase in crime throughout the region during the post-independence period. Broader socio-economic and regulatory changes are analysed in order to explain the restructuring and exponential growth of the industry. The contribution made by private firms to the security and stability of the country are discussed, alongside the problems associated with a rapid growth of private policing in Lithuania.

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“…Long hours (50+ per week), pay around the minimum wage, limited career opportunities and basic levels of training [33][42] [9]. Many of these issues also arise in South Korea [11] [10]. The consequences of these conditions have implications for the commitment of staff to their tasks and an increased chance of security failure.…”

Section: Security Guardsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Professional Security Management and Investigation for the New Competitive Advantage

Button¹,

Lee²,

Hakkyong³

2011

International Journal of Contents

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The Private Security Industry in South Korea: A Familiar Tale of Growth, Gaps and the Need for Better Regulation

Cited by 21 publications

References 3 publications

Security officers and the policing of private space in South Korea: profile, powers and occupational hazards

Security officers and the policing of private space in South Korea: profile, powers and occupational hazards

Privatisation of state security and policing in Lithuania

Professional Security Management and Investigation for the New Competitive Advantage

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