[Exclusive] 271 Police Officers Disciplined in First Half of This Year... Serious Decline in Discipline

A Growing Trend of Police Misconduct Each Year
From Drunk Driving and Sexual Misconduct to Bribery

It has been confirmed that 271 police officers were disciplined for various types of misconduct in the first half of this year. The number of disciplinary cases has been increasing each year, raising concerns about a serious decline in discipline within the police organization.

Yoon Geonyoung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is asking a question. Photo by Yonhap News

According to data submitted by Yoon Geonyoung, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, on July 23, the number of police officers disciplined between January and June of this year was 271. By reason, there were 92 cases of disciplinary violations, 70 cases of conduct unbecoming, 31 cases of neglect of duty, 28 cases of sexual misconduct, 38 cases of drunk driving, and 12 cases of bribery. By year, the numbers were 426 in 2020, 493 in 2021, 471 in 2022, 486 in 2023, and 536 last year.

By level of disciplinary action, there were 15 dismissals, 34 discharges, 23 demotions, 44 suspensions, 62 pay cuts, and 93 reprimands. Disciplinary actions of suspension or higher are classified as severe disciplinary measures for police officers. In the case of dismissal, the officer cannot be reappointed as a public official for five years, and retirement benefits can be reduced by up to 50%. In the case of discharge, reappointment as a public official is possible after three years, and retirement benefits can be reduced by up to 25%.

By rank, there were 5 senior superintendents or higher, 23 superintendents, 90 inspectors, 75 senior inspectors, 29 sergeants, 24 corporals, and 25 constables. The number of disciplinary actions increased in all ranks except for senior inspectors and corporals compared to the first half of last year, indicating that misconduct has become more serious regardless of rank.

By regional police agency, the numbers were as follows: Seoul 56, Gyeonggi Southern 30, North Gyeongsang 22, Busan 21, Incheon 18, South Jeolla 17, Gyeonggi Northern and Ulsan 10, Daegu, Gangwon, and South Gyeongsang 15, North Jeolla 11, North Chungcheong 9, South Chungcheong and Jeju 8, Gwangju 3, and Daejeon 2.

Yoo Jaeseong, Acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, recently visited frontline sites such as the Traffic Information Center at Yeongdeungpo Police Station and the Yeoksam Police Precinct at Gangnam Police Station in Seoul, emphasizing, "Basic order is a fundamental promise that must be kept in society, but it is true that minor acts of deviation have caused inconvenience and dissatisfaction among the public." He stressed the importance of establishing basic order in traffic and daily life through police guidance and enforcement.

However, misconduct by police officers continues to occur. A corporal in his 20s from the South Jeolla Provincial Police Agency, who was under investigation for extorting money from a fraud victim, was booked on July 10 for stealing cash from a store. A sergeant in his 30s from the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul was caught by a citizen's report at around 1 a.m. on July 16 after drinking at a departmental gathering and then falling asleep in his car while driving.

Oh Yoonsung, a professor in the Department of Police Administration at Soonchunhyang University, said, "The only way is to conduct preventive education at both the National Police Agency and regional police agency levels and to strengthen punishments," adding, "Police officers deal with and resolve crimes, so it is only natural that they must not engage in misconduct."