As suspicions spread that a man believed to be a police officer surveilled a civic organization, progressive groups have called for a thorough investigation and punishment.
The Gyeongnam Progressive Alliance and Changwon Progressive Alliance held a press conference in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency on the morning of the 19th, demanding, "Immediately investigate and severely punish the criminal who illegally surveilled the Changwon Progressive Alliance."
Gyeongnam Progressive Union and Changwon Progressive Union are holding a press conference in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency regarding suspicions of police surveillance on civilian organizations. Photo by Lee Seryeong
According to the Progressive Alliance, at around 10:10 a.m. on the 18th, an unidentified man took three photos of the inside of the Changwon Progressive Alliance office with his mobile phone from the hallway on the first basement floor of a commercial building in Sapa-dong, Seongsan-gu, Changwon.
Members of the Changwon Progressive Alliance, who were in a meeting at the time, noticed a shadow moving behind the sheet attached to the office window, went outside, apprehended the man, and reported him to the police.
After confirming the man’s identity, the police who responded determined that there was no evidence of a crime, such as related photos in his phone album, and allowed him to leave.
Subsequently, the man was identified as a police officer belonging to the Security Investigation Unit of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency.
A man is filming the interior of the Changwon Progressive Alliance office with his mobile phone in the hallway in front of the Changwon Progressive Alliance office in Gyeongnam. Video provided by Changwon Progressive Alliance
Lee Younggon, the standing representative of the Changwon Progressive Alliance, said, “After the incident, we checked the building’s CCTV and saw the man was recorded. We also confirmed that two days before the incident, two people, including the man, claimed to be police officers and checked the building's CCTV footage.”
He continued, “Our organization, which leads rallies calling for the impeachment of Yoon Sukyeol and protects the Changwon City Hall Plaza, was being spied on and secretly filmed before the perpetrator fled. This is not simply an attempt to monitor an ordinary civic group.”
Lee emphasized, “If the man impersonated a police officer, he should be punished for impersonation. If he is an employee of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, he should be punished and an apology should be made.”
The group reported the man for civilian surveillance and decided to begin a one-person protest that day.
Furthermore, they stated that if there is no official apology or appropriate action such as punishment within this week, they plan to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and demand a parliamentary audit.
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