Over 350 police disciplinary actions overturned on appeal over 5 years

Over the past five years, more than 350 disciplinary actions against police officers were reversed, overturned, or nullified through appeals, according to data released by Rep. Park Sang-woong of the opposition People Power Party. The figures, which include actions from 2021 to 2025, show that the outcomes of police disciplinary actions are frequently reversed, raising concerns about the weight and effectiveness of such measures.

The number of appeals filed has risen by 34.3 percent to 411 in 2024 compared to 2021. In some cases, officers facing dismissal appealed and retained their positions, including an officer dismissed for a drunk driving offense who was reinstated after appeal. The growing importance of the disciplinary system is highlighted by recent high-profile misconduct and negligence cases, such as a missing woman incident on Jeju Island and a murder in Gwangju, where the suspect's father, also a police officer, is suspected of covering it up.

Rep. Park calls for stronger monitoring of police misconduct and stricter enforcement of discipline within the police force. However, Professor Lee Yung-hyeock of Konkuk University suggests that the frequent reversals on appeal may indicate flawed investigations or insufficient evidence against officers from the start.