[The Police File] Is a Country That Tells You to Find Your Own 'Jeon-u-jo' Really a Public Safety Powerhouse?

Anxiety Over Random Crimes Grips the Nation
"Better Two Than One" Messages Spread Across the Country
Time for a Master Plan in Public Safety Policy

The military (gun) as an organization has systems and regulations that are distinctly different from general society. One of the differences that struck me during my military service 15 years ago was that no one could go anywhere within the unit alone. Even when going to the PX (military store) after work, one had to report to the duty officer and move in groups of at least two. In the military, this was called a ‘jeon-u-jo’ (comrade group). While some view this restriction on adults’ movements as a human rights violation, considering the nature of the military where many young people have limited freedom, it is clearly an unavoidable measure to prevent incidents and accidents.

The concept of the ‘jeon-u-jo,’ which existed only within military units, has recently been spreading throughout various parts of our society. A friend who goes to exercise at Olympic Park every weekend created a group chat with five friends on a messenger app. The purpose was to go out together with at least two or three people who are available. He added, “It feels safer to go with two or three rather than alone.” A banner that I had never seen before was posted at the park near my house. The banner, put up by the local district office, bore the phrase “Better two than one.” Banners saying “For safety, please hike with two or more people” have been installed along hiking trails nationwide, including Gwanaksan Mountain where a rape-murder occurred last month, as well as in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, and Changwon City, Gyeongsangnam-do. Of course, the military’s jeon-u-jo differs somewhat in that it involves collective responsibility and is mandatory. However, fundamentally, both share the aspect of moving together in groups of two or more to prepare for emergencies.

A banner recommending hiking in groups of two or more is hung at the entrance of a park in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In some foreign countries with poor public safety, moving in groups like this is a way of life. A YouTuber said that due to safety concerns, when traveling in Mexico, they met with colleagues on the same schedule at specific locations and moved together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ overseas safety travel notices mostly advise avoiding nighttime travel and being cautious when using crowded facilities. However, it is embarrassing that the same situation is occurring in South Korea in 2023, which claims to be a global ‘public safety powerhouse.’ Meanwhile, the police and government, who are supposed to be responsible for public safety, are only making futile efforts. The police deployed armored vehicles and special forces for special security operations, but despite this, knife attacks, threats, and online murder threats have not ceased. After the knife attacks in Sillim-dong and Bundang, the police patrolled mainly around crowded facilities, and when the rape-murder occurred on Gwanaksan Mountain, they hastily formed a mountain patrol unit for the surrounding trails.

The withdrawal of the reintroduction of the mandatory police was the final blow. The Prime Minister announced it, and the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency standing beside him even revealed specific recruitment plans, but it became a non-issue within a day. While the public safety control tower was floundering, the public became ‘startled by the pot lid after being startled by the growing plant’ (an expression meaning repeatedly frightened by similar incidents). On the morning of the 6th, when a passenger shouted on the subway Line 2 train, other passengers mistakenly thought a crime had occurred and hurriedly evacuated, resulting in four injuries. This is further proof that many citizens still cannot escape their fear of crime.

It has already been nearly 50 days since the knife attack in Sillim-dong. Instead of releasing half-baked individual measures one by one, the police and government must now set a clear direction for public safety policy, establish a ‘master plan,’ and deliver a consistent message that they will strengthen public safety. Even at this moment, public safety conditions continue to deteriorate. The number of single-person households vulnerable to crime is increasing, and violent crimes, which had decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, have rebounded this year. We cannot leave the public to fend for themselves any longer.