The National Police Agency has been criticized for its handling of cases involving police officers' families. As of June 14th, this year, there have been 117 cases of police officers' families being involved in crimes or being victims of crime that have been reported to the police. In one case, a police officer's family member was involved in a fraud case, while in another, a police officer's spouse was a victim of a violent crime. The National Police Agency has been accused of turning a blind eye to these cases. In response to criticism, the National Police Agency stated that it is difficult to intervene in cases where police officers' families are involved, as it could be seen as preferential treatment. The agency has also stated that it will work to prevent similar cases from happening in the future. However, some have criticized the agency for not doing enough to address the issue. The police officers' union has stated that the agency's response is insufficient and that more needs to be done to support police officers' families. The issue has sparked a debate about police accountability and the need for greater transparency within the police force. The National Police Agency has promised to review its policies and procedures to ensure that it is handling cases involving police officers' families in a fair and transparent manner. The agency has also stated that it will work to improve communication with the public and to increase trust in the police force. The issue has highlighted the challenges faced by police officers and their families, and the need for greater support and resources to help them deal with the unique challenges of being a police officer's family. The National Police Agency has stated that it will do its best to support police officers' families and to prevent similar cases from happening in the future.
In a recent incident in Jeonju, a chief police officer, ㄱ경감, is currently under investigation for alleged evidence tampering. The officer's 10-year-old son faced suspicion for illegally recording a teacher and is now being accused of disposing of the phone intentionally. This case is related to the previous 'Jang Yoon Gi' incident, where a police officer's family allegedly concealed various evidence related to a sexual crime.
This prompted the police headquarters to begin investigating family-related crimes involving police personnel. A total of 45 such cases have been identified nationwide, involving current police officers and their families. The police have started implementing a 'screening' system to prevent direct investigations into family-related crimes and to manage these cases separately.
Previously, there was no dedicated system to handle these incidents. Out of the 117 cases, 45 involved the police officer or their family as the perpetrator or victim. Among these, 47 cases were direct descendants, followed by 37 secondary relatives and 33 spouses. Most of the cases (111) were filed at individual police stations, while 6 were handled by the provincial police headquarters.
Only 1 case involved an investigation by the forensic police. Of these, 44 cases were transferred to other police units or are planned to be transferred, and 15 cases are under review for transfer. 32 cases have already concluded or are nearing their conclusion, and 26 cases were deemed not to pose a fairness concern and were not transferred.
Prior to this investigation, the police were unaware of cases involving the families of their officers. The lack of a dedicated system for handling such cases was highlighted, as the officers involved were often unaware of the external scrutiny. The police plan to adopt the 'screening' system starting the following month, with the goal of transferring cases involving police officers and their families to other units.
They will first establish internal guidelines and later develop the necessary legal framework for implementation.
Written by urgent.news from Hankyoreh's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
