[MZ Police Officer] "To Live Up to My Family's Police DNA"

"Let Me Be a Proud Daughter, Granddaughter, and Junior Officer"
"My Sense of Duty Comes from My Father"
"This Is What Police DNA Looks Like"
"For the Fourth Generation of Police Officers Beyond Three Generations"

Editor's NoteGeneration Z is here. New employees in their 20s and 30s are now shaping the future of organizational culture. The police are no exception. The police force consists of various departments, including criminal investigation, intelligence, security, traffic, administration, public relations, audit, and women and youth affairs. Work environments differ across provincial headquarters, police stations, mobile units, and local substations or police boxes, and each region has its own unique responsibilities. Through the eyes of the youngest officers, we introduce their departments and hear their vivid stories about work and life as they see it.

"Let me be a proud daughter, granddaughter, and junior."

Police Officer Na Sunyoung (30), whom we met at the Daehakro Police Box of Hyehwa Police Station in Seoul, repeats these words to herself every day as she heads to work. Officer Na said, "I believe that not just anyone can wear a police uniform," adding, "From the moment I put on the uniform, I remind myself every time that even the smallest words and actions can affect both the organization and the public."

Police Officer Na Sunyoung is posing before an interview at the Hyehwa Police Station Daehakro Substation in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

For Officer Na, who is a third-generation police officer following her grandfather and father, being a police officer is more than just a job. Her grandfather served as a police officer for 30 years starting in 1963, and her father joined the force in 1989 and is currently the head of a local substation at Suseong Police Station in Daegu. Most of her relatives, including her uncle, are also police officers, so police stories naturally come up during family gatherings. In November of last year, Officer Na married her husband, who was working at Seocho Police Station in Seoul, adding another police officer to the family.

Growing up in a family where everyone is a police officer, it was inevitable that Officer Na developed a deep affection for the profession. Her grandfather often told her, even when she was young, that "without the police, the people would inevitably feel insecure." Her father was so proud of being a police officer that he would say, "I can tolerate people criticizing me, but I cannot stand anyone criticizing the police."

Before becoming a police officer herself, Officer Na sometimes felt that her father's pride in the police was excessive. She said, "Watching my father always put the organization before himself, I used to think he was so strict that not a drop of blood would come out," but added, "After becoming a police officer and facing dangerous situations like violent incidents at night, I came to understand how my father felt."

"My sense of duty comes from my father"

Police Officer Na Sunyoung is working at the Hyehwa Police Station Daehakro Substation in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

For Officer Na, her father is more than just a parent; he is a reliable senior and advisor. She said, "Since I started working as a police officer, I have truly realized how important the sense of duty and responsibility my father talked about is," adding, "I grew up hearing that I should never do anything to damage the honor of the organization, and now that I am a police officer myself, I feel the weight of the uniform is not light."

There are times when she is scolded by her father as well. In the fall of 2023, Officer Na, driven by enthusiasm at a fire scene, entered a building immediately after the fire was extinguished without hesitation. She said, "At the time, I tried to enter the scene before even putting on my equipment, thinking I needed to check it right away, but my seniors stopped me." She continued, "When my father heard about it, he scolded me, saying, 'If the police get hurt, they can't protect anyone.' Since then, I have always kept in mind that, as a police officer, I must never get injured under any circumstances."

To bear the weight of the uniform, Officer Na is passionate not only about the police spirit but also about physical fitness. On her days off or after work, she always runs 5 kilometers to build her stamina. She said, "My father emphasized that 'if you lack physical strength, you can't protect citizens,'" adding, "After hearing this, I make sure to regularly do various exercises, from running to swimming, so I don't become a police officer who lacks physical strength."

Police Officer Sunyoung Na is checking the patrol map to identify key patrol areas at the Daehakro Police Box, Hyehwa Police Station, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 7th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

"This is what police DNA looks like"

The sense of duty inherited from her family continues even after work. Officer Na has a habit of always watching for dangerous situations around her. Last winter, while she was off duty and going out to eat with her husband, she spotted a citizen bleeding. Without hesitation, she secured the scene and helped stop the bleeding until the police arrived. Officer Na said, "When the dangerous situation happened, my body just reacted automatically, and as a result, I was able to prevent further harm."

This 'family DNA' also shines when handling cases. At the end of last year, Officer Na located and rescued a woman who was being held captive in an unknown location. Although she tried to track the location, it was difficult to pinpoint the address because the area was full of multi-unit houses. At that point, Officer Na called the victim and asked her to check the license plate of a car visible outside the window, and immediately identified the location to find the woman.

There are many moments when Officer Na feels proud as a police officer, but there are also difficult times. She said, "While working at the police box, I often encounter intoxicated people during night patrols," adding, "Sometimes there are citizens who are uncooperative and verbally abusive to the police, which makes me feel bad." She continued, "Whenever that happens, I remember my father's words, 'Don't let your emotions show to citizens,' and it helps me calm down in those moments."

Police Officer Nasan Young is working at the Daehakro Police Box, Hyehwa Police Station, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

"For the fourth generation of police officers beyond three generations"

Officer Na said that she would choose to become a police officer again if she were born anew. She said, "There is no moment happier than when citizens express their gratitude to me as a police officer," adding, "The vague sense of duty I once had has become much clearer since I became a police officer." She continued, "Both my husband and I hope that if we have a child, at least one will continue the family tradition and become a police officer," and "The police DNA that has become a natural part of me made me who I am today, and I hope that DNA will continue to be passed down."