"Be Careful" Leaves Without Action Even After Reporting 'Mask Dispute'... Police Response Under Scrutiny

"Put on a mask" leads to insults... Police leave passengers behind and just walk away
Expert says "Mask disputes must be firmly sanctioned by police and local governments"

On the 12th, controversy arose as the police responded lukewarmly by leaving the scene without taking any special measures against a citizen who caused a disturbance after being asked to wear a mask on a bus in Jeonju, Jeonbuk.
Photo by KBS broadcast screen capture

Mr. A requested passengers on the bus who kept lowering their masks to "please wear the mask properly."

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A controversy has arisen as a bus driver reported a passenger who hurled insults when asked to wear a mask, but the police who arrived at the scene responded lukewarmly without taking any significant action. Since 'mask disputes' can potentially escalate into verbal abuse or physical violence, citizens are expressing concerns about safety. There is worry that proper protection may not be provided when mask-related disputes occur.

Experts suggest that since the entire nation is striving to prevent COVID-19, decisive sanctions by local governments and the police are necessary to address mask disputes.

According to media reports on the 17th, on the 12th in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, bus driver Mr. A asked a passenger who kept lowering their mask on the bus to "please wear the mask properly." The passenger then abruptly responded with insults and abusive language such as "What's your name?", "You, you XXX. I'm going to report you," and "I paid to ride the bus, so why are you telling me to get off?"

Feeling threatened, Mr. A reported the incident to the police, and officers from the local precinct arrived. However, the police officers only asked for the name and contact information of the disruptive passenger and took no further action. They left the passenger, who was still shouting, on the bus and said to the driver, "Sir, if this happens again, we will forcibly remove the passenger. Please be careful going home," then left after two minutes.

Mr. A said, "How desperate must I have been to call 112?" and expressed disbelief, saying, "But they took no action and just left... They told me to take the passenger to the final stop, wherever the passenger wanted to go."

Regarding this, the police stated, "It is difficult to force a bus passenger to get off. There was no particular situation where a crime could have occurred," and added, "It was a simple dispute, so it does not seem that any special action was mishandled."

A citizen wearing a mask waiting for the subway.
Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, there have been cases where both the police and local governments passed the responsibility when mask non-compliance was reported, saying "It's not our job."

In March, a convenience store owner in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, asked a customer to pull up their mask during a conversation, but the customer responded with insults and assaulted the owner by headbutting them.

The owner reported the incident to the police and requested punishment for assault and mask non-compliance. However, the police said, "The local government handles quarantine-related enforcement," passing responsibility to the local government. When the owner inquired with the local city office, they replied, "It is better to first contact the police station to file a report, then contact our local government," indicating it was not their responsibility.

In principle, reports related to mask non-compliance are handled by the responsible local government. The authority to enforce mask-wearing and impose fines also lies with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and local governments. Enforcement is carried out by local government officials who first advise the violator to wear a mask on-site, and if they do not comply, explain the basis for enforcement and impose a fine of up to 100,000 KRW.

However, when disputes involve not just simple non-compliance but assault, threats, or obstruction of business, most citizens tend to report to 112, and the police are expected to respond and intervene.

Citizens expressed frustration. Netizens commented, "There are many cases where drivers are verbally abused or assaulted, but if no action is taken even after reporting such situations, what are citizens supposed to trust?" "At least the disruptive passenger should have been removed," and "It seems like it implies it's okay not to wear a mask," expressing concerns.

Experts recommend decisive sanctions by local governments and the police to address mask disputes.

Professor Eom Jung-sik, an infectious disease specialist at Gachon University Gil Medical Center, said, "From the police perspective, mask disputes may seem minor compared to other crimes they handle. However, in the current COVID-19 situation, firm sanctions by the police are necessary," adding, "This does not mean overreacting, but it is important to send a message that not wearing a mask can lead to sanctions and personal inconvenience."

He continued, "If there are no sanctions, citizens who properly wear masks may feel frustrated, and uncontrollable situations may arise," advising, "Regarding mask enforcement duties, local governments and the police should agree and create manuals clarifying each party's responsibilities and how to respond, which can prevent such confusion."