[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Attention is focused on whether the Police Agency will establish personnel regulations that can cancel the special promotions and commendations of police officers who wrongfully imprisoned innocent citizens.
On the 18th, Lee Hyung-seok, a member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Buk-gu Eul), strongly requested during the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee Police Agency briefing to revoke the special promotions and commendations of police officers who caused human rights violations such as torture and illegal detention, and fabricated cases that led innocent citizens to wrongful imprisonment.
He also urged the consideration of measures to claim state compensation paid to victims who were acquitted through retrials from the responsible police officers.
According to data submitted by the Police Agency to Assemblyman Lee, a total of seven police officers received special promotions related to four major retrial acquittal cases that caused public outrage, including the Hwaseong 8th Murder Case, Nakdong Riverside Murder Case, and Samrye Nara Supermarket Robbery Murder Case.
Among them, five police officers who were specially promoted are related to the Hwaseong 8th Murder Case, in which Lee Chun-jae was wrongfully accused as the perpetrator of the 8th case and imprisoned for 20 years.
During the investigation, they subjected innocent citizens, especially socially vulnerable individuals, to coercive harsh acts such as torture and illegal detention, falsely accusing them of murder, and subsequently received consecutive special promotions. After the victims were acquitted in retrials, public opinion grew for the cancellation of the special promotions and commendations of the involved officers, but all disciplinary statutes of limitations (3 to 5 years) had passed, making punishment impossible.
Assemblyman Lee said, “It is outrageous that we cannot hold police officers accountable for trampling on the lives of innocent citizens,” and urged, “Personnel regulations must be established to cancel the benefits of special promotions and commendations for police officers who violate citizens' human rights.”
Commissioner Kim stated, “The procedure to cancel special promotions has begun, and I fully agree on the necessity of canceling commendations,” promising follow-up measures that align with public sentiment.
Assemblyman Lee added, “Through amendments to the National Public Officials Act, we will pursue measures to eliminate the disciplinary statute of limitations for cases involving assault, harsh treatment, illegal arrest, and detention leading to fabricated cases.”
Although victims receive compensation through lawsuits against the state, it is problematic that the government bears the responsibility for paying the compensation.
Under current law (Article 2 of the State Compensation Act), there is a basis for subrogation claims, but the statute of limitations expires after 10 years.
Assemblyman Lee said, “The Police Agency should consider ways to claim part of the state compensation from the investigators involved.”
He also emphasized, “Since the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police granted the police the right to conclude first investigations this year, numerous embarrassing police misconduct cases have emerged. Strong self-purification efforts by the police are necessary, as well as the establishment of an independent inspection body within the National Investigation Headquarters to prevent corruption related to investigations.”
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