Controversy Over Police Officers Allegedly Drinking in Uniform While on Duty... Police Deny Allegations

Photos of Uniformed Police Officers Allegedly Drinking Spread Online
Sokcho Police Station Denies Claims: "No Drinking While on Duty"

Controversy erupted online after police officers in uniform were spotted drinking at a restaurant in Yangyang, Gangwon Province. In response, the police denied the allegations, stating that no officers consumed alcohol while on duty.

A police officer in uniform was caught drinking alcohol in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, sparking controversy. Thread

On October 22, reports and photos spread across social networking services and online communities, claiming that "police officers carrying firearms were seen drinking alcohol at a restaurant on Yangridan-gil in Yangyang."

The individual who posted the account, identified as Mr. A, said, "I saw two police officers, armed and in uniform, join a gathering. I personally witnessed them pouring and drinking alcohol two or three times, so I hurriedly took photos."

Mr. A claimed that after witnessing the situation, he called 112 to report it, but there were issues with how the report was handled. According to him, when a report is filed to 112, other officers should be dispatched to handle the situation. However, one of the officers who had been drinking at the restaurant called the reporter directly to explain.

Mr. A said, "Shortly after, the police officer who was at the restaurant called me and said it was a misunderstanding and that they had not consumed any alcohol. It was surprising that the officer who had been drinking at the restaurant called the person who reported the incident to explain."

He added, "When I called 112 again to clarify the circumstances, they kept making excuses and their response was insufficient. It seemed like they were covering for their own. The officers, armed and in uniform, parked their patrol car in front of the restaurant and drank alcohol for over an hour during the gathering."

Sokcho Police Station: "No Drinking While on Duty"

As the controversy grew, Sokcho Police Station, which oversees Yangyang County, told Yonhap News that "there was no drinking while on duty." The dinner was organized by the local police substation chief, and a total of six people, including staff, attended. Of the attendees, three had finished their daytime shifts and were in plain clothes, while two officers scheduled for the night shift were in uniform.

The police who responded to the report conducted a breathalyzer test on the two uniformed night-shift officers about an hour and ten minutes after the report, but no alcohol was detected. While it was confirmed that beer and soju were on the table at the time, it was reported that only the substation chief drank alcohol.

Regarding the officer directly calling the reporter to explain it was a misunderstanding, the police explained, "When an incident is reported, an automatic dispatch order is sent to the local substation. At that time, the officer in question was on duty, so he received the report, realized it was about himself, and called to clarify the misunderstanding."

The police stated that they will take appropriate action if any improper conduct is confirmed through further investigation.