Police Who Evicted Grandmother Tell Protesting Citizens, "Keep Getting Angry"

Busan Dongbu Police Station Apologizes, but Aftershocks Continue

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Joo-hee] The police who drove away a man in his 70s seeking shelter from the cold at a local police stationhave once again become the center of controversy due to inappropriate responses despite citizens' protest calls.

According to an MBN report on the 28th, a citizen made a protest call to the local police station under the Busan Dongbu Police Station, which was involved in the controversy. When the citizen said, "I just saw the news a moment ago. Is this the place where a woman in her 70s was driven out? I am so angry that I called," the police officer who answered the call replied, "Ah, then keep being angry," and hung up.

In response, the local police station explained, "Due to the flood of protest calls, some staff members' responses were inappropriate." However, criticism has intensified as the police, who apologized for driving out the elderly woman, once again became embroiled in controversy due to inappropriate responses shortly afterward.

Earlier, a man in his 70s, Mr. A, visited the local police station to escape the cold around 12:05 a.m. on the 14th of last month but was driven out. It is known that Mr. A missed the last train from Busan to Seoul and intended to warm himself at the police station until the first train.

However, about 40 minutes later, a police officer at the station grabbed Mr. A's arm while he was sitting, forcibly stood him up, and dragged him outside the door. Another police officer was also caught on the police station's internal CCTV locking the entrance door to prevent Mr. A from re-entering. After being driven out, Mr. A reportedly hitchhiked to another police station 3 km away and waited there until the first train.

The local police station stated that the reason for driving Mr. A out was "because he was obstructing official duties." On the other hand, Mr. A said he only asked to be treated kindly as he was not homeless, showing a conflict of positions. Mr. A filed a complaint against the police officers, and the Busan Police Agency has launched an investigation.

Meanwhile, the Busan Dongbu Police Station posted an apology on its website regarding driving Mr. A out. The police said, "We deeply reflect on not sufficiently considering the situation of the complainant," and added, "We will make every effort to become a police force that is empathetic by paying more attention to socially vulnerable people and carefully listening to even the smallest voices of the public."