The new police uniforms in both South Korea and Belgium are currently a point of discussion. And it is not only about functionality, but mainly about the image and appearance of the new garments. Although the two countries differ completely in terms of geography and culture, the problems come down to the same thing: the influence of color and design on both the environment and the wearer.
Belgian police uniform is ‘too Flemish’
In 2024, the Belgian police already announced the new uniform. Officers felt that the current uniform did not convey enough authority, and the new design initially seemed to be received with enthusiasm. But now that the trial is almost finished, it appears that some officers are refusing to test the new equipment. The French-speaking part of Belgium accuses the government of giving the new uniform a ‘too Flemish’ appearance.
The country is divided into three different regions, each with its own language. In the north of Belgium, called Flanders, people speak Dutch. In the south of the country, Wallonia, people speak French. In addition, there is a small German-speaking community, and in the capital Brussels, both French and Dutch are spoken.
Although the country uses a federal police uniform, you can recognize the language of the officer by the language of the word “police” written on the back. For Flemish police officers, it says “politie” on the back, and in Wallonia, it says “police.” But to save money for the trial, the government decided to test only one uniform with “politie” written on the back. And that uniform is now being refused in French-speaking Belgium. Moreover, the Walloon officers say that the new color scheme of dark blue with fluorescent yellow looks very Flemish. The logo of Flanders is, after all, black and yellow. At the moment, the uniform is mainly dark blue with white details, but for better visibility, white has been replaced by fluorescent yellow.
In the meantime, the Belgian Minister of the Interior, Bernard Quintin, has stopped the project. He says that this has to do with budgetary problems and not with the discussion about color and language. He also emphasized that there is a chance the uniform might not be introduced at all.
Lack of authority
To mark the eightieth anniversary of the South Korean police, the organization launched a new uniform this year. But just like in Belgium, people here are also not happy with the color scheme.
When the uniform design was presented in July, there was criticism from both citizens and officials.
The new uniform consisted of a combination of dark blue with a grayish-blue color and a purple undertone. The idea behind this was that the color combination would make the police appear approachable, modern, and distinctive from other professions. But because of the purple undertone, officers felt it did not convey enough authority. It is also compared to hospitality and airline uniforms, and dirt and wear are said to be more visible on the lighter fabric. The South Korean police have stated that they will take the feedback back to the design table and incorporate it into the final uniform, which is scheduled to be launched in 2026.
Looking at studies that have been done on the influence of color in police uniforms, both countries have made a good choice. A combination of dark and light colors would, in theory, provide both authority and approachability. But it is clear that one should not forget that political relations and the perception of what authority looks like also influence the way we judge a uniform.
