[2020 National Audit] "Don't Pretend to Be the Paper Owner" Various Cases of Apartment Residents' Power Abuse

Lee Eun-joo, Justice Party Lawmaker's Audit Data
Police 'Gapjil Special Report' Cases Show
Even After the Death of Late Choi Hee-seok
Violence and Threats Against Security Guards and Others Continue

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] “Hey, don’t act like you own the paper.”

This is the story of apartment staff member A, who was insulted by a resident of an apartment in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on July 2nd this year. A was subjected to such verbal abuse and humiliation simply for removing the gym calendar in the complex. Earlier, on June 12th in Seocho-gu, an apartment resident repeatedly punched a security guard in the chest, and on the same day in Songpa-gu, a commercial tenant threatened a security guard by saying, “I will make sure you cannot work here.”

In May this year, the tragic case of the late security guard Choi Hee-seok in an apartment in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, who took his own life after suffering from residents’ “gapjil” (abuse of power), sparked public outrage. However, it has been revealed that such abuse by apartment residents has continued since then.

According to data submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to Rep. Lee Eun-ju of the Justice Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, during the “Special Reporting Period for Gapjil in Multi-family Housing” from May 26 to October 6, 85 reports of apartment gapjil were received by the police. The police investigated 62 cases, booked 64 individuals, and referred 37 cases to the prosecution. Twenty-three cases were closed after counseling.

Among the cases sent to the prosecution, various forms of gapjil were rampant, including threats, assaults, and obstruction of business by residents. The targets were not limited to security guards but included facility managers and auxiliary staff. In Gangseo-gu, an apartment resident caused a disturbance and obstructed work for 30 minutes by harassing the facility manager for not replacing a damaged entrance door glass. In a Songpa-gu apartment, a resident assaulted a security guard’s head because a sticker was placed on their vehicle. In an apartment in Eunpyeong-gu, a resident who was filing a complaint about a leak even poured hot water on the security guard’s neck.

There was also a case where a security guard, who had been verbally and physically abused by the apartment manager and residents in February and March this year, reported the incident to the police after four months. Rep. Lee explained that the guard had endured the abuse fearing retaliation but reported it after the Choi case became a social issue.

Rep. Lee emphasized, “Serious gapjil incidents such as verbal abuse, physical assault, and humiliation against security guards, cleaners, and management office workers in multi-family housing continue unabated,” and added, “Efforts by the government and local governments to improve systems are necessary to enhance the poor working conditions of multi-family housing workers and to guarantee their rights as workers.”

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