"Into the Field, Into the Community"... Police Joint Patrol at Gyeongui Line Chaekgeori and Hongdae Entrance

On the evening of the 21st, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency conducted a joint night patrol around Gyeongui Line Book Street in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and the Hongdae Entrance Station area. The patrol included over 40 participants, including Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Jo Ji-ho, Seoul police leadership, the Mobile Patrol Unit, Mapo Police Station, Seoul Autonomous Crime Prevention Association, and Mapo Autonomous Crime Prevention Unit.

Over 40 people, including Jo Ji-ho, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, conducted a joint patrol around Hongdae Entrance Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 21st.
[Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency]

Gyeongui Line Book Street is recently known as a place where many runaway youths gather. The area around Hongdae Entrance Station has a large floating population of young university students and foreigners, with a concentration of one-room apartments and commercial buildings. It is designated as a focused foot patrol zone by the local police station, where police and administrative resources are concentrated for management.

The participants patrolled the approximately 1.6 km walking path and streets from Gyeongui Line Book Street to Sangsangmadang near Hongdae Entrance Station, distributing crime prevention promotional materials to citizens and engaging in community policing activities.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official explained, "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preventive patrols and public contact activities have decreased. We planned joint patrols and youth guidance activities to revitalize preventive patrols and become a 'police force that approaches citizens on the ground.'"

Chief Jo stated, "We hope this joint patrol will serve as an opportunity to protect citizens' safe daily lives and enhance deterrence against crime," emphasizing, "We will strengthen preventive patrol activities further through focused crime prevention efforts at vulnerable locations and times, and cooperation with the local community."