Police Shoot Taser Gun at Collapsed Foreigner, Criticized for 'Excessive Force'

Citizen Group Criticizes "State Violence Incident"... Police's Internal Investigation Tentatively Concludes 'No Issues'

Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station arrested a Vietnamese national A (23) carrying a weapon on the spot around 2 p.m. on the 29th of last month. During this process, a controversy over excessive force arose after a Taser was fired at A, who dropped the weapon and sat down. /Photo by News1TV screen capture

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] A police officer who fired a Taser and even stomped on a foreigner who was sitting down after dropping a weapon is facing heavy criticism for 'excessive force.'

A civic group in the Gwangju area is calling it a "state violence incident," filing a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission and urging measures, stirring public opinion.

According to Gwangsan Police Station in Gwangju on the 4th, a 23-year-old Vietnamese national A was walking with a kitchen knife in a residential area in Wolgok-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City around 2 p.m. on the 29th of last month when police who responded to a report apprehended him.

The police issued five warnings to "drop the weapon," but when he did not comply, they issued a Code Zero (0) alert.

During the subduing process, the police struck A's arm with a baton, causing him to drop the weapon he was holding. Afterwards, A appeared to have no intention to resist and sat down on the spot, but the police fired a Taser and stomped on the fallen A.

In the police investigation, A reportedly explained that he was not fluent in Korean and could not understand the officers' instructions, and that he was carrying the kitchen knife to cook at a friend's house.

This situation was fully recorded on nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

Citizens who saw this argue that since A showed no intention to resist and sat down during the subduing process, the use of a Taser and stomping was excessive force.

One citizen said, "I believe police authority should be respected and elevated, but this time it seems like an excessive measure," expressing regret, "Also, instead of stomping, it would have been better to restrain the hands and feet with a knee."

The civic group voiced similar opinions.

The Gwangju-Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network held a press conference in front of the National Human Rights Commission Gwangju Office in Dong-gu that morning, urging, "Gwangsan Police Station should admit their mistake, and Gwangju Police Agency should prepare inclusive police administration policies for foreigners."

They added, "According to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all humans have the right to bodily freedom and security. However, Gwangsan Police used an electric shock device for arrest in a situation where there was no damage or likelihood of damage from police administration," they claimed.

They further stated, "Gwangsan Police should clarify where and how the exercise of police authority went wrong, and Gwangju Police Agency should prepare policies for inclusive police administration toward foreigners."

In response, the police explained that since the area is a high-crime zone with many serious crimes and a daycare center nearby, they fired the Taser after repeated noncompliance with orders to drop the weapon in a tense environment.

A Gwangsan Police official explained, "Due to cartridge contact failure, the initial firing attempt failed, and the officer, checking the firearm status, did not realize the suspect had dropped the knife and fired the Taser again."

The Gwangsan Police 112 Comprehensive Security Situation Room has launched an internal investigation but is reportedly tentatively concluding that while there may be regrettable aspects in the suppression process, it does not appear to be excessive force.