What is "podocheong"

Podocheong (; Hanja: ), literally Agency for Thieves Arresting, is a government body that was responsible for the arrest and punishment of criminals during the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. It was a temporary organization at first, but was solidified into a permanent one later in the Dynasty. Podocheong was divided into a left sector and a right sector, each assigned to the corresponding administrative district of Hanseongbu(present-day Seoul) and Gyeonggi Province. Its role was remarkably analogous to the modern police.