Gwanak Police Station and Local Community Organizations Hold 'Meeting to Eradicate Alcohol-Related Violence'

The Gwanak Police Station in Seoul announced on the 5th that it held a 'Meeting to Eradicate Alcohol-Related Violence and Improve Drinking Culture' on the 1st in collaboration with local community organizations.

Seventeen representatives from related organizations participated in the meeting held at the Gwanak Police Station, including the Small Business Association, Karaoke Association, Food Service Association, Bus Companies, Taxi Companies, Medical Association, Korean Medicine Association, Pharmaceutical Association, large hospitals with emergency rooms, and local media outlets.

Participants are taking a commemorative photo at the "Meeting for the Eradication of Drunken Violence and Improvement of Drinking Culture" held on the 1st at Gwanak Police Station in Seoul. Photo by Gwanak Police Station

At the meeting, representatives of each organization unanimously stated, "The police must strictly punish alcohol-related violence to prevent it from taking root in society." Kim Deokseop, branch manager of the National Karaoke Practice Room Association, said, "Karaoke rooms basically attract intoxicated people, and especially karaoke rooms run by women alone are vulnerable to alcohol-related violence during late-night hours." He added, "Some customers deliberately refuse to pay and provoke violence, but due to fear of retaliation, they do not report it, and since there are not many customers, there is nowhere to seek help."

Choi Byungjun, head of the administration team at Yangji Hospital, said, "Since the end of COVID-19, the number of intoxicated individuals has increased, and they easily get agitated and are difficult to control." He added, "Both medical staff and patients suffer damage, so it would be good if this situation is made known." Choi Ihwan, head of the Gwanak Tax Office, said, "Public offices are not exempt from alcohol-related violence," explaining, "There are cases where people, still intoxicated, curse during phone consultations or come in with complaints about tax issues and verbally abuse or physically act out."

Meanwhile, the representatives of each organization pledged to widely promote active reporting of alcohol-related violence. Branch manager Kim said, "Since the (Gwanak) Police Station operates a dedicated team for alcohol-related violence, I will inform members and promote active reporting."

Maeng Hunjae, chief of the Gwanak Police Station, said, "Since April, the Violent Crimes Unit 1 has been designated as the dedicated team for alcohol-related violence, conducting comprehensive and multi-faceted investigations." He added, "In cases of habitual offenses with concerns about recidivism or retaliation, we actively request arrest warrants." He further stated, "We will actively promote strict measures against alcohol-related violence and continue efforts to improve drinking culture together with the local community."

Earlier, on the 24th of last month, the Gwanak Police Station held a local security council meeting themed 'Eradication of Alcohol-Related Violence and Improvement of Drinking Culture' and conducted an on-site campaign.