Lee Eun-ju "112 Reports Increased by 117% Over 10 Years... Local Police Slightly Increased"

Issues Raised Regarding the Fairness of Dispatch Allowances

Eunju Lee, Justice Party member. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Despite a surge in 112 emergency calls over the past decade, the number of local police officers dispatched has only slightly increased, raising concerns. In particular, since the implementation of the autonomous police system, the number of local police officers has decreased by about 600.

According to the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee member Lee Eun-ju of the Justice Party, based on data submitted by the National Police Agency for the national audit on the 21st, the number of 112 emergency calls last year was 18,296,631, marking a 117% increase over ten years.

Regarding the reporting methods, phone calls accounted for the largest share at 82% (14,977,397 cases), followed by in-person reports at 14.3% (2,616,476 cases), and text or app reports at 4% (702,758 cases). Although phone reporting remains the most common, the number of reports made easily via text or apps is increasing annually.

However, the number of local police officers only rose 24%, from 41,393 in 2010 to 51,358 last year. Moreover, in the year the autonomous police system began, the number of local police officers decreased by about 600. This situation inevitably leads to an increased workload for local police officers.

Issues regarding the fairness of dispatch allowances were also pointed out. Currently, according to regulations on public official allowances, police officers who respond to emergency dispatches (code 0~2) during night shifts from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day receive up to 30,000 KRW per day and 3,000 KRW per case. However, emergency dispatch calls occur 24 hours a day without distinction between day and night, and according to Lee’s criticism, increasing reports of financial and phishing fraud tend to occur more during the daytime.

Lee emphasized, "To ensure citizens’ safety, it is necessary to secure sufficient local police personnel dispatched to the field, and dispatch allowances should be paid fairly."