21 Police Officers Who Protected Citizens During the May 18 Democratic Uprising... 'Restored Honor' After 40 Years

Police Agency Revokes Disciplinary Actions Ex Officio

On the 14th, citizens visiting the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Jongno-gu, Seoul, are viewing the special exhibition commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising titled "If That May Day Comes Again." / Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Twenty-one retired police officers who were unjustly disciplined while protecting citizens during the May 18 Democratic Movement have restored their honor after 40 years.

The National Police Agency announced on the 17th that it had revoked the disciplinary actions taken against these officers in 1980, marking the 40th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Movement.

According to the police, disciplinary actions were taken against 22 officers following the directive of the National Security Emergency Measures Committee during the May 18 Democratic Movement. Among them, former Mokpo Police Chief Lee Jun-gyu, who minimized clashes with protesters but was criminally punished and dismissed, was acquitted through a retrial last October, and his dismissal was revoked.

The revocation of disciplinary actions against the 21 retired officers is a follow-up measure, reviewing whether there were any defects in the disciplinary actions such as salary reductions or reprimands. Notably, this includes Senior Superintendent Ahn Su-taek (then Head of Operations at Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency), who suffered humiliation by being beaten by soldiers for releasing detained citizens.

The disciplinary actions at the time were carried out under the directive of the National Security Emergency Measures Committee, with reasons including ▲ seizure of police and reserve forces' weapons and ammunition ▲ delay in returning to their police stations, related supervisory and behavioral responsibilities, which violated Article 53 of the Police Officials Act at the time, concerning disobedience to orders and dereliction of duty.

The National Police Agency, considering precedents related to the late 'police hero' Senior Superintendent Ahn Byung-ha, who refused the new military regime's order to open fire and protected citizens before dying after severe torture, as well as former Chief Lee and related case law, legal advice, and fact-finding investigations, judged that these disciplinary actions were administrative measures that abused discretion. Accordingly, on the 14th of this month, the National Police Agency held the Central Disciplinary Committee and the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency Ordinary Disciplinary Committee, and after deliberation and resolution, revoked the disciplinary actions the following day.

The police plan to retroactively adjust the salaries reduced due to the disciplinary actions and pay them to the individuals (five survivors) and their families (16 deceased). A National Police Agency official emphasized, "We will continue to discover and honor senior police officers who suffered disadvantages or sacrifices while fulfilling the mission of democracy, human rights, and public safety policing, to enhance the sense of duty and pride among police officers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.