‘Workplace Power Abuse 112?’ Increasing Harassment in Police Organizations... Most Disciplinary Actions Are Mild

Abuse of Power Reports Within Police Organization
52 Cases in 2020, 43 Cases in 2021
30 Cases as of May This Year

Most Disciplinary Actions Are Reprimands or Pay Cuts
All 5 Cases This Year Are Reprimands

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Lieutenant A of the Seocho Police Station in Seoul called Officer B to run an errand to buy gimbap. For arriving about 10 minutes late, Lieutenant A scolded Officer B, saying "Are you disrespecting me?" and reportedly slapped Officer B's face about 30 times with his palm. The incident became public after Officer B's father filed a complaint on the police internal intranet. The police have placed Lieutenant A on administrative leave.

Captain C, who was affiliated with a frontline police station in the Gyeonggi area, recently transferred to another police station. Following a report that Captain C frequently verbally abused and humiliated staff, the Provincial Police Agency’s Inspection, Audit, and Human Rights Office conducted an investigation and confirmed dehumanizing behavior, resulting in Captain C’s reassignment.

Abuse of power within the police organization continues unabated. According to data obtained by Asia Economy on June 2nd from the National Police Agency, the number of abuse of power complaints received by the police abuse reporting center from January to May this year was 30 cases. In 2020, there were 52 cases, and in 2021, 43 cases. Including complaints received through various civil petitions or other internal police intranet channels, the actual number of abuse cases exceeds the official statistics.

The police have classified abuse of power as misconduct under Article 13-3 of the National Police Agency’s Code of Conduct for Public Officials and have been promoting measures to eradicate it. Abuse of power is explicitly listed as a cause for disciplinary action without mitigation, alongside sexual misconduct, concealment of abuse, and improper solicitation, and all staff are notified under a zero-tolerance policy. The content and results of disciplinary actions are also to be disclosed upon confirmation. The number of police officers disciplined for abuse of power is increasing: 22 officers in 2019, 30 in 2020, and 31 in 2021.

However, there are criticisms that disciplinary measures are effectively “protecting their own” and amount to “light punishments.” Reviewing the disciplinary outcomes of 83 officers punished from 2019 to 2021, 38 received mild reprimands, and 27 were subjected to pay cuts. Only 3 were demoted, and 15 suspended. No officers were dismissed or discharged, which are considered severe disciplinary actions. This year, up to April, 5 officers were disciplined, all receiving only reprimands.

A sergeant from a frontline police station in Incheon said, "If you report, rumors spread throughout the organization, making it difficult to have a normal work life. It’s obvious that proper punishment won’t be carried out, so who would have the courage to report?"

Experts emphasize the urgent need to break the deeply entrenched vertical hierarchy within the police organization. Professor Lee Woong-hyuk of Konkuk University’s Department of Police Science said, "Abuse of power often arises from the police’s unique rank culture. Commanders should first establish a culture of organizational fairness and lead by example to prevent abuse of power in advance."