Police Say They Will Strengthen 'Gongjik Gigan'... Repeated Controversies Over Poor Response and Drunk Driving

National Police Agency. / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Ahead of Chuseok, police's on-site response has come under scrutiny, and a series of drunk driving arrests have caused controversy. As Police Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong emphasized the need for 'midnight efforts,' establishing public service discipline has emerged as a top priority.

According to the police on the 23rd, the Jongno Police Station in Seoul has booked and is investigating Police Officer A from the Dongdaemun Police Station on charges of refusing a breathalyzer test. Officer A was injured after collapsing while riding a motorcycle intoxicated on a road in Jongno-gu around 1:30 a.m. on the 19th. After being transported to the hospital, he refused the police's breathalyzer test and was arrested on the spot.

In Gyeryong City, Chungnam Province, Sergeant B was booked and is under investigation for driving another person's vehicle while intoxicated and causing an accident by hitting a guardrail and a streetlight the day before. Also, on the 16th in Cheongju, Chungbuk Province, Lieutenant C was caught driving under the influence for about 3 km and was booked without detention.

There was also controversy over the police's on-site response methods. In Seosan, Chungnam Province, a wanted man D, who was arrested on charges of assault and drunk driving, escaped after giving the police someone else's personal information. The police accepted D's claim of "no ID" and recorded a friend's personal details but released him after identity verification without further checks. D was wanted for violating traffic-related laws.

Regarding the 'Hwatu Murder Case' that occurred in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, controversy arose over whether the police's response was appropriate after they arrested Mr. E on charges of special intimidation before the murder but released him about two hours later. Although Mr. E admitted to the charges and had a fixed residence, so there was no reason for detention, criticism emerged that the murder could have been prevented since Mr. E had 45 prior convictions and could have been detained in a holding cell for up to 48 hours after arrest.

The National Police Agency has been conducting activities to establish public service discipline before and after Chuseok from the 16th of this month until the 11th of next month. Commissioner Kim stated, "We will analyze the causes of past misconduct to proactively prevent them and continuously check for improvements in structural and institutional issues related to job-related misconduct to prevent recurrence." However, various controversies have damaged their reputation. For the police, who are promoting comprehensive security activities for a peaceful Chuseok, establishing public service discipline has ironically become the greatest challenge.