[MZ Police Officer] The 'Avengers' on the Frontline... The Youngest Members of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's 11th Mobile Unit

Role in Maintaining Order for Citizen Safety
"Real-life Hero"... An Umbrella by Citizens' Side

Editor's Note
Generation Z is coming. It is an era where new employees in their 20s and 30s decide the future of organizational culture. The police are no exception. The police have various departments such as criminal investigation, investigation, security, intelligence, traffic, administration, public relations, audit, and women & youth. The working environments differ across metropolitan police agencies, police stations, riot police units, and district police stations, and the tasks vary greatly by region. From the perspective of the youngest police officers, we introduce their departments and hear vivid stories about their thoughts on work and life.

At 2 p.m. on the 21st, in front of Seoul City Hall on Taepyeong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, as the preliminary march of an event hosted by farmers' organizations began, about 6,000 participants wearing navy vests started walking forward while beating drums, gongs, and small gongs. Sergeant Gwak Sang-hyun (30) of the 11th Riot Police Unit, 1st Riot Police Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, also started running in step with the protesters.

Sergeant Gwak said, "Riot police officers must separate the pre-notified assembly area from the roads used by vehicles to protect the participants from safety accidents."

Corporal Gwak Sang-hyun (left) and Police Officer Yang Byeong-eok are talking while on duty at a rally near Seoul City Hall. Photo by Heo Yeong-han.

Over the past decade, there have been about 110,000 assemblies nationwide. At assembly sites, riot police officers play a role in maintaining order and protecting citizens' safety. Asia Economy met with Sergeant Gwak Sang-hyun and Police Officer Yang Byeong-eok (29) of the 11th Riot Police Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to hear their stories.

Known for High Work Intensity... 'Irregular Schedules'

The 11th Riot Police Unit, to which Sergeant Gwak belongs, is known among Seoul police officers for its high work intensity and heavy workload. It oversees large-scale assemblies concentrated in Gwanghwamun, Yongsan, and Yeouido, and often deals with socially sensitive issues.

Yang, who is in his third year as a police officer, had a special affection for the 11th Riot Police Unit, having applied for it as his first choice early last year and being assigned there. Yang said, "I had heard that working in the riot police is not easy." Their workday starts around 7 a.m. After arriving at the 11th Riot Police Unit in Sindang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, and preparing for deployment, their work location is determined based on the assembly area reported that day. It is unpredictable even on the day itself whether they will be dispatched to Gwanghwamun, Yongsan, Yeouido, or elsewhere, which is the daily routine of riot police officers.

Sergeant Gwak said, "Due to the nature of the riot police, life cannot be completely regular like at a police station. Even if an assembly is reported, the situation on site can change at any time, and sometimes we cannot leave work until dawn."

Sergeant Gwak Sang-hyun (left) and Police Officer Yang Byeong-eok of the 11th Mobile Unit of Seoul Police Agency are posing during an interview with Asia Economy after finishing their duty at the Mobile Unit site in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun.

"If You Look Closely, They Are All Different"… Riot Police Positions

At 3 p.m., when the organizer announced the main assembly, the number of participants on the road noticeably increased. Sergeant Gwak stood at the front of the line holding a unit flag marked '11-1.' The position he holds in the riot police is 'standard-bearer.'

Sergeant Gwak explained, "Although the police officers deployed at the assembly site look similar on the outside, they each have different roles. The standard-bearer plays an important role by holding the unit flag high to indicate the position of each unit, helping the police maintain order efficiently in a place where even police officers can lose their sense of location."

Behind him, Police Officer Yang raised a camera labeled 'evidence collection for investigation.' Yang is the riot police's 'evidence collection officer,' capturing the assembly site on camera. When it is judged necessary to record video, a warning sound is played to inform participants that recording will begin. Yang said,

"I feel proud when I hear that the videos I personally recorded are used as key evidence to resolve legal disputes."

Corporal Gwak Sang-hyun (front row, far right) and Police Officer Yang Byeong-eok are checking a camera while on duty at a rally near Seoul City Hall. Photo by Heo Yeong-han.

Clashes? "Reflecting on the Reason for Police Existence"

Fortunately, no clashes occurred that day, but tense situations are unavoidable. Sergeant Gwak and Police Officer Yang, both rookies in the riot police, cited 'conflicts and friction with assembly participants' as the biggest difficulty they experience. After much thought, their answer was to 'go back to basics.'

Sergeant Gwak said, "Whenever I face heated situations at assembly sites, I try to remind myself why the police are here," adding, "I try to remember that we are here to keep the assembly peaceful and safe." Yang also said, "Many people surprisingly do not know the standards by which the police enforce the law, but if the police explain and help them understand this sufficiently, I think the heightened emotions on both sides could calm down."

Although they live every day under tension due to various protests, the source of their strength is also the 'small words' from citizens. Sergeant Gwak recalled, "Once, I was deployed to a very tense site, and when I happened to meet some participants who had seemed sharp at the site in a restaurant, they encouraged me by saying 'Thank you for your hard work.' It might have been a small word, but it stayed with me and gave me strength."

Sergeant Gwak Sang-hyun (right) and Police Officer Yang Byeong-eok of the 11th Mobile Unit of Seoul Police are warmly greeting children they meet while moving through a building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun.

"The Police Are the Avengers"

Both Sergeant Gwak and Police Officer Yang are now in their third year as police officers. Although their reality as police officers is not exactly what they dreamed of at first, their belief that the police are 'an essential presence in society' remains unchanged.

When asked to describe the police in one word, Police Officer Yang immediately answered "Avengers." Yang said, "In Marvel movies, there are various heroes who protect citizens. Although the police do not have superpowers, I think they are the 'real-life heroes' who replace Marvel heroes. Please remember that 140,000 police officers nationwide are always striving to reach citizens in need, anytime and anywhere."

After some thought, Sergeant Gwak answered "umbrella." He explained, "When the weather is nice, you might forget it exists, but when it rains, the umbrella is the most necessary thing. The police are always around citizens, so even if their importance is not fully felt, they are the ones people turn to first in critical situations."