'Yun Seong-yeo Arrest Commendation' Canceled for 5 Police Officers... Pension Recovery Faces Difficulties

Lee Chun-jae 8th Case Real Culprit Identified
20 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment, Acquitted in Retrial
None of the 5 Are Currently in Office... 2 Have Passed Away

At the retrial sentencing hearing for the 8th serial murder case of Lee Chun-jae, retrial petitioner Yoon Seong-yeo is being acquitted and leaving the courtroom.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The promotions of five police officers who were promoted after arresting Yoon Seong-yeo (54), who was wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years as the real culprit of the ‘Lee Chun-jae 8th case’ and recently acquitted in a retrial, have all been canceled. However, since none of them are currently in service, difficulties are anticipated in recovering the economic benefits such as pensions and salaries obtained through the promotions.

According to the police on the 13th, the National Police Agency held a review committee at the end of March and decided to cancel the promotions of the five police officers who arrested Yoon. Three were promoted from constable to sergeant, and two from sergeant to senior sergeant. None of them remain in active police service. Three have retired, and two have already passed away. Among the deceased officers was the person who discovered the physical characteristics that became the decisive basis for Yoon’s arrest at the time.

Following Yoon’s acquittal in the retrial last December, the police’s procedure to cancel the promotions began in earnest. The National Police Agency sent preliminary notices regarding the cancellation of promotions to the five officers, requesting them to submit their opinions. In the case of the deceased officers, since the addresses of their bereaved families were not confirmed, a public notice was issued. Subsequently, it is reported that the opinions of the parties involved were heard and the extent of their involvement in the illegal arrest of Yoon was confirmed.

The Lee Chun-jae serial murder 8th case was an incident in 1988 in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, where a 13-year-old girl named Park was sexually assaulted and then murdered. Yoon, who was arrested as the culprit the following year, was sentenced to life imprisonment and served 20 years before being paroled in 2009. After Lee Chun-jae confessed to the crime, Yoon filed for a retrial in November 2019, and about a year later, in December of last year, he was acquitted 32 years after the crime occurred. After Yoon was acquitted, the National Police Agency apologized, stating, “We deeply regret having branded an innocent young man as a murderer and causing him to endure 20 years of imprisonment, inflicting great wounds.”

Although the parties involved may file administrative lawsuits or administrative appeals against this decision, the police’s related procedures for canceling the promotions are virtually complete. Regarding the recovery of pensions obtained through the promotions, a National Police Agency official said, “We need to start with legal review,” adding, “Although various discussions have taken place, it is expected to be difficult.”

With the decision to cancel the promotions of police officers related to Yoon’s arrest, other cases recently acquitted in retrials are also drawing attention. In the representative retrial cases, the Nakdong Riverside murder case and the Samrye Nara Super robbery homicide case, one police officer was promoted in each case. It is known that there were no promotions in the Yakchon Five-way Intersection murder case. Earlier, National Police Chief Kim Chang-ryong promised follow-up measures, saying, “The procedure to cancel promotions has begun, and I fully agree on the necessity of canceling honors.”

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