Inspector Heo Jeonghun of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Public Security Intelligence Analysis Division
Uncovering “Sea of Japan” Errors on Public Institution Websites
A police officer who was reportedly praised directly by President Lee Jae-myung has been selected as a recipient of this year’s newly established Special Award.
According to Yonhap News on January 18, the National Police Agency recently held its first Award Review Committee meeting and decided to grant a 2 million won reward to Inspector Heo Jeonghun of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Public Security Intelligence Analysis Division. Inspector Heo was recognized for thoroughly checking the websites of 1,626 public institutions and reporting 10 cases where the East Sea was incorrectly labeled as the Sea of Japan and Dokdo as Liancourt Rocks.
President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Blue House on the 15th. Photo by Cheongwadae Press Photographers Group
Previously, Kang Hoon-sik, Chief Presidential Secretary, appeared on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory' on January 2 and shared that President Lee personally praised this achievement. Kang explained that after being briefed on Inspector Heo’s report, President Lee remarked, “This idea probably didn’t come from someone high up; it must be the idea of the responsible official,” and instructed, “Find them and give them an award.” When told that “there are procedures and standards for awards,” President Lee added, “Then at least send them a pizza from the Presidential Office.”
In December last year, following President Lee’s directive to give exceptional rewards to public officials with outstanding achievements, the National Police Agency established the ‘Special Performance Reward System’ and selected 31 cases, including Inspector Heo. President Lee shared the news of Inspector Heo’s award on his social networking service (SNS) account X, stating, “Rewards and punishments must be clear. If public officials are corrupt, the country collapses; if public officials are loyal, the people become happy.”
In addition to Inspector Heo, a reward of 20 million won will be given to seven officers, including Superintendent Park Donggi from the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, who, as part of the 'Korea Task Force' dispatched to Cambodia, apprehended 135 suspects and rescued four people in just over 50 days. Additionally, Officer Oh Seongtaek of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, who arrested 14 members of a group that distributed narcotics worth 2.9 billion won nationwide after smuggling them from Southeast Asia, and Sergeant Choi Hyuntae of the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency, who apprehended 23 suspects for producing and distributing child and youth sexual exploitation materials via Telegram, will each receive 2 million won. Furthermore, 5 officers, including Inspector Yoon Heecheol of the Incheon Police Agency, who apprehended a high school bomb threat hoaxer, and 6 officers, including Inspector Lee Youngjae of the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency, who cracked down on a concert ticket scalping ring, will each receive 5 million won.
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