[MZ Police Officer] National Youth Athletics Gold Medalist Who Became a Police Officer

The Challenges of a Rookie...
Learning Every Day from Senior Colleagues
Becoming a Police Officer to Help Others
Preliminary Investigator...
Aiming for the Narcotics Investigation Unit

Editor's NoteGeneration Z is here. New recruits in their 20s and 30s are now shaping the future of organizational culture. The police force is no exception. The police are made up of diverse departments such as criminal investigation, general investigation, security, intelligence, traffic, administration, public relations, audit, and women and youth. Working environments vary by provincial headquarters, police stations, mobile units, and local precincts or police boxes, and the roles differ greatly depending on the region. From the perspective of the youngest police officers, we introduce their departments and hear vivid stories about their work and lives as they see them.

Gold medalist in the national youth relay, prizewinner in various national competitions. Ranked third overall (first among women) at the Central Police Academy.

This is the record of Police Officer Shin Eunjung (26) of Ilsan Police Box, Ilsan Western Police Station, Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency. With her impressive track record in athletics, she has the stamina to handle night shifts with ease, and she graduated from the police academy with excellent grades. However, she is still the youngest at her police box and has much to learn. Throughout the interview, Shin Eunjung smiled brightly and said, "Whenever I learn something new and become able to do it on my own, I sometimes boast about it to my team leader."

Police Officer Shin Eunjung is being interviewed by Asia Economy on the 30th of last month. Photo by Choi Youngchan

The Difficulties of the Beginning... Learning Every Day from Senior Teammates

Shin Eunjung was an athlete until her first year of high school. After quitting sports, she prepared to enter a college of physical education. She graduated from a university in Seoul with a major related to physical education, and after completing her studies at the Central Police Academy last year, she was assigned to the Ilsan Police Box this January. Despite her outstanding physical strength from her athletic background, her first dispatch was a series of tense moments. The first scene happened to be in a narrow building, and it was impossible to predict how the reported individual would behave. She knew in her head how she should respond, but the first time is always difficult for everyone.

Even now, Shin Eunjung says she is not as skilled as her seniors, but she is growing little by little. On one occasion, there was a dangerous situation where a man was holding a broken liquor bottle. Shin Eunjung firmly grabbed his wrist and made him put down the bottle. She explained, "He was drunk, and if he had swung the bottle, people could have gotten hurt. I quickly grabbed his wrist and opened his hand so he would drop the bottle."

Police Officer Shin Eunjung is being interviewed by Asia Economy on the 30th of last month. Photo by Choi Youngchan

Becoming a Police Officer to Help Others

The reason Shin Eunjung became a police officer was to help others. During her college years, there was an incident where an intruder broke into her dormitory, threatened a female student, and fled. Hearing that the police responded quickly and caught the suspect made her admire the profession. She also once reported the theft of her electric scooter, which was her only means of transportation in an area with poor public transit, and the police's kind response left a strong impression on her.

Having nurtured her dream of becoming a police officer this way, Shin Eunjung says the most rewarding moments are when she hears "thank you" from citizens. She feels great pride when students greet her while she is on patrol or when children show excitement at seeing a police car. Shin Eunjung said, "I also want to become someone's dream and be a person who helps others."

Police Officer Shin Eunjung is being interviewed by Asia Economy on the 30th of last month. Photo by Choi Youngchan

Preliminary Investigator... The Ultimate Goal: The Narcotics Investigation Unit

Shin Eunjung graduated from the Central Police Academy with excellent grades and was selected as a preliminary investigator, qualifying her to work in investigative departments at the front line. She is ambitious and wants to experience a variety of investigative departments, including the criminal division, investigation division, and women and youth division. The investigation track is a personnel system that separates specialized investigative roles?such as criminal, investigation, and cyber?from general police, with annual exams to select investigation specialists. The preliminary investigator system selects some trainees from the Central Police Academy and immediately assigns them to investigative departments, granting them the qualification to work there.

Shin Eunjung's ultimate goal is to join the narcotics investigation unit, where she can utilize her physical strength, which is her strong point. She thought it was admirable to see female officers active in the narcotics unit. Shin Eunjung said, "I believe that if I work hard and achieve good results in any department, the opportunity to work in the narcotics investigation unit will come."