[Exclusive] Former Lawmaker Min Kyung-wook Summarily Indicted for Referring to Police Chief as "Leader of a Pack of Dogs"

Accusation of Defamation by Civic Group
Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong Also Expresses Willingness to Punish
Summary Indictment with a Fine of 700,000 Won

Former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Former Future United Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) lawmaker Min Kyung-wook, who is accused of insulting Police Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong by calling him the 'leader of a pack of dogs,' has been summarily indicted.

According to the legal community on the 17th, the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office summarily indicted Min on the previous day for insult charges with a fine of 700,000 won. Min is accused of insulting Commissioner Kim by posting on social media in September last year, referring to him as the 'leader of a pack of dogs.'

At the time, he posted on SNS, "Currently, the police are dogs who only worry about the safety of the Moon Jae-in administration, not the people. The leader of that pack of dogs is Kim Chang-ryong," criticizing Commissioner Kim, who announced a ban on conservative group rallies scheduled for October of the same year.

In response, the civic group Anti-Corruption National Participation Solidarity reported Min to the police, stating that Min insulted the Police Commissioner and police officers who lawfully exercised public authority against illegal assemblies and protests by calling them a 'pack of dogs.'

Since insult charges are 'complaint crimes' that require the victim or legal representative to file a complaint for prosecution, Commissioner Kim had to express his intention to punish directly. It was reported that Kim had previously filed a complaint and expressed his intention to punish through a legal representative in May. The Incheon Yeonsu Police Station, which investigated the case, sent Min to the prosecution on June 17.

Shin Seung-mok, head of the Anti-Corruption National Participation Solidarity, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the same day, "Calling the head of the police, the Police Commissioner, the 'leader of a pack of dogs' is equivalent to calling the 150,000 police officers and their families, who dedicate themselves to protecting the lives and property of the people, a 'pack of dogs.'"