[MZ Police Officer] The 'Master' of Oman Who Became the Youngest Member of the Violent Crime Team

<21> Choi Wonseok, Police Officer at Paju Police Station, Gyeonggi Northern Agency
Six Years as Taekwondo Martial Arts Instructor for the Royal Oman Police Draws Attention

Editor's NoteThe Generation Z era is arriving. New employees in their 20s and 30s are now shaping the future of organizational culture. Police organizations are no exception. The police force consists of a wide range of departments, including criminal investigation, detective work, security, intelligence, traffic, administration, public relations, audit, and women and youth affairs. The working environments vary, from provincial agencies to police stations, mobile units, and local precincts, and the roles differ greatly by region. Through the eyes of the youngest police officers, we introduce their departments and listen to their vivid stories about work and life as they see it.

"Only when a police officer knows how to protect themselves can they also safeguard the safety of the public."

Police Officer Wonseok Choi of Paju Police Station, Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, is posing for a commemorative photo. Photo by Eunseo Lee

Police Officer Choi Wonseok (34), whom I met at Paju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, never forgets the martial spirit of Taekwondo, even while working on the Violent Crime Team 3 of the Criminal Investigation Division. He said, "Every movement in Taekwondo forms begins with defense. Taekwondo is not a martial art for attacking others, but a technique for protecting oneself," adding, "Police work is also like martial arts, as it is about safeguarding society, including the police themselves."

Before becoming a police officer, Officer Choi was a 'master' to Omani police officers. Taekwondo was the link. Officer Choi said, "I was deeply impressed watching Taekwondo demonstration teams during my school days. I majored in Taekwondo in college and spent two years as a Kukkiwon demonstration team member, traveling to over 20 countries to promote Taekwondo."

Officer Choi served as a martial arts instructor at the headquarters of the Omani Police Special Task Force, teaching Taekwondo and self-defense. Thanks to the two-year Taekwondo training program he conducted for Omani police officers selected from regional special task forces, over 80 Omani police officers obtained Kukkiwon-certified 1st and 2nd Dan black belts in Taekwondo. He also taught hundreds of Omani police officers Taekwondo and self-defense through a one-month intensive training course.

He said, "While I was an instructor, I heard about an Omani police officer I had met who died while stopping a knife rampage at a large shopping mall. This made me think deeply about police safety," adding, "While teaching Taekwondo in Oman, I began to consider how police officers could protect themselves and apprehend criminals when facing danger."

Police Officer Choi Wonseok is demonstrating a kick in front of Omani police officers. Photo by the subject.

Officer Choi devoted himself to promoting Taekwondo to Omanis who mistakenly thought Korean Taekwondo was Japanese Karate. Officer Choi said, "From 7 a.m., when the first prayer began at sunrise, we trained for five hours, doing stretching, forms, punching, and kicking. During Ramadan, I even created a Taekwondo manual for the Omani police." In fact, thanks to Officer Choi's efforts, by the time he returned to Korea, about 20 Korean Taekwondo instructors were teaching at police special task forces throughout Oman.

Officer Choi cited the most rewarding moment as the Taekwondo demonstration he performed at the opening of the Omani Police Special Task Force headquarters. He said, "In 2018, I performed a Taekwondo demonstration in front of the royal family to commemorate the opening of the new headquarters. We prepared for half a year, and although my students struggled with injuries, I believe this demonstration greatly elevated the status of Korea and Taekwondo in Oman."

Of course, it was not easy to train police officers in a country with different religions and cultures. Officer Choi said, "Since we had to start training at 7 a.m., I would arrive at 6:30 to prepare and warm up, but the trainees would only start arriving one by one from 7. I sometimes got angry with my students and the leadership, but it was difficult for us to understand each other."

Police Officer Choi Wonseok is presenting an arrest warrant to a suspect in a drug-related case. Photo by the subject.

Officer Choi even learned Arabic to teach Taekwondo more effectively. The first Arabic word he learned was "mamushkila," meaning "no problem." He said, "While doing physical training, the Arab trainees would complain about knee pain, saying 'mushkila' (there is a problem), so I learned to tell them there was 'no problem' and to hurry up. When I told the Omanis not to be late for training the next day, they would reply 'inshallah' (God willing), which could be frustrating."

The Korean police officers he met at the time became his support. His experiences with them led him to pursue a career as a police officer. He said, "Working and spending time with police officers, I heard a lot about police work, which inspired me to dream of becoming a police officer myself." Officer Choi added that even after joining the force, he has stayed in contact with those police officers and continues to receive much advice from them.

The composure and quick reflexes he developed through Taekwondo training have become Officer Choi's strengths. Especially as Unjeong New Town in Paju has been developed and the population has surged, violent crimes have also increased. He said, "Many situations, from psychological battles with suspects to dealing with difficult complainants, require emotional stamina, and my strength is being able to control my emotions well in such times. The physical strength I developed through Taekwondo is also a great help when apprehending suspects or dealing with intoxicated complainants."

Finally, Officer Choi expressed his desire to become a "lighthouse-like police officer." He said, "Just as a Taekwondo master seeks and studies the truth of Taekwondo, police officers investigate the substantive truth of crimes to protect the public. I want to stand tall like a lighthouse, safeguarding the safety of the people."