{{short description|South Korean government agency}} {{Infobox government agency | employees = 458<ref>[https://www.law.go.kr/법령별표서식/(행정안전부와그소속기관직제시행규칙,별표9) 「행정안전부와 그 소속기관 직제 시행규칙」 별표9]</ref> | image = File:국과수 (2).jpg | website = {{URL|https://nfs.go.kr/site/nfs/main.do|국립과학수사연구원}} (Korean language) <br/> {{URL|https://nfs.go.kr/site/eng/main.do|National Forensic Service}} (en-UK) | logo = ROK National Forensic Service logo.svg | formed = {{Start date|1955|03|25}}<br />({{Age in years and months|1955|03|25}}) | minister_type = Director General | minister1_name = Bong-woo Lee | headquarters = Wonju, Gangwon Province | coordinates = | embed = {{Infobox Korean name/auto |child=yes |hangul=^국립_과학_수사_연구원 |hanja=國立科學搜査硏究院 }} }}
The '''National Forensic Service''' ('''NFS'''; {{Korean|국립과학수사연구원}}) is a South Korean government agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety which conducts forensic examinations and research. Established in 1955, the NFS oversees the majority of forensic analysis in criminal cases in South Korea.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Roh |first=Byung-Yoon |last2=Lee |first2=Won-Joon |last3=Seo |first3=Jeong-Uk |last4=Lee |first4=U-Young |last5=Lee |first5=Sang-Seob |date=2018-05-01 |title=Analysis of forensic odontological examinations at the National Forensic Service of Korea from 2011 to 2015 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1344622317304078 |journal=Legal Medicine |volume=32 |pages=37–42 |doi=10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.02.007 |issn=1344-6223|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It is currently headquartered in Wonju, Gangwon Province.
== History == The National Forensic Service was established on March 25, 1955,<ref>{{cite web|title='국과수 70년'... 사건의 진실 밝히는 첨병|author=이성희|date=April 1, 2025|newspaper=시니어오늘|url=http://www.seniortoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=15577}}</ref> under the Ministry of Home Affairs, to specialize in medicinal and physicochemical forensics outside of fingerprint analysis.<ref name="CSI">{{cite web|title=한국의 CSI|author=김정미|url=https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/koreaOfRecord/scientfic.do|website=National Archives of Korea|access-date=November 24, 2025}}</ref>
Originally an auxiliary agency, the NFS expanded in scope and size upon playing key forensic roles in major criminal cases. Most notably, in May 1965, NFS investigators revealed that multiple South Korean pharmaceutical companies were illegally dosing their products with the synthetic opioid methadone.<ref name="CSI" />
DNA profiling in South Korea began in the 1990s with the establishment of the NFS's DNA analysis center in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|title='화성 그놈' 잡은 DNA 분석기술…내년부터 무용지물 될라|author=배태웅|date=November 2, 2019|newspaper=The Korea Economic Daily|url=https://www.hankyung.com/article/2019110188541|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191130051227/https://www.hankyung.com/society/article/2019110188541|archive-date=November 30, 2019}} </ref> Genetic analysis was extensively used by the NFS to identify the victims of the 1995 Sampoong Department Store collapse, and later Lee Choon-jae, the perpetrator of the Hwaseong serial murders.<ref>{{cite web|title='韓 과학수사 산실' 국과수 창립 70年…"세계적 감정기관 도약"|author=양정우|date=March 25, 2024|newspaper=Yonhap News Agency|url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250325080400530}}</ref>
The NFS relocated its headquarters to Wonju, Gangwon Province, in 2013, with its previous headquarters in Seoul now becoming the agency's Seoul Institute.<ref>{{cite web|title=국립과학수사연구원 원주시대 개막…신청사 개원|newspaper=Yonhap News Agency|date=December 12, 2013|author=이율|url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20131212097700004}}</ref> == Organization == As of November 2025, the NFS consists of 12 divisions and 5 institutes (Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon), with one branch in Jeju.<ref>{{cite web|title=Organization chart|url=https://www.nfs.go.kr/site/eng/04/10406000000002017092005.jsp|website=National Forensic Service|access-date=November 24, 2025}}</ref> == References == {{reflist}}
Category:Research institutes in South Korea Category:1955 establishments in South Korea