Continued Activities for 14 Years Despite Sexual Harassment Fine... Belated Resignation Sparks Controversy

Police Explain: "No Way to Check Civilian Committee Members' Criminal Records"

Exterior view of Gwangju Seobu Police Station.

It has come to light that a civilian member of the Gwangju Seobu Police Station Traffic Safety Deliberation Committee, who was fined for sexual harassment, continued to hold his position before belatedly resigning, sparking controversy. The police have explained that there is no way to check the criminal records of civilian committee members, but criticism is mounting over poor management.

According to the Gwangju Seobu Police Station and other sources on the 6th, Mr. A, a civilian member of the Traffic Safety Deliberation Committee in his 50s, voluntarily resigned from his position on the 25th of last month.

The Traffic Safety Deliberation Committee is an organization that reviews the appropriateness of installing traffic facilities such as crosswalks and parking zones, and is usually composed of about 10 civilian members.

Mr. A was appointed as a civilian member by the police chief in 2011 and had served in that capacity for 14 years. However, it was revealed that he continued to hold his position while concealing the fact that he had been sentenced to a fine, which is grounds for dismissal.

In mid-November last year, Mr. A was investigated by the Seobu Police Station on charges of sexually harassing a female restaurant owner in Mareuk-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. On January 20 this year, he was summarily indicted and fined 5 million won.

However, Mr. A continued to serve as a committee member without disclosing these facts. Only after the victimized restaurant owner filed a complaint and the controversy grew did he express his intention to resign.

The Seobu Police maintain that they were unable to identify Mr. A's criminal record despite investigating him. A representative from the Seobu Police Station explained, "Unless civilian members voluntarily report it themselves, there is no way to check their criminal records," adding, "Because they are civilians, we cannot be notified by institutions either."