"Police Officer Says 'No Crackdown on Motorcycles,' Netizens React Loudly"

"Practically Difficult to Catch with Patrol Cars" Complaints
Accidents During Enforcement Lead to Disadvantages Instead

A police officer's 'bombshell' declaration regarding 'motorcycle crackdowns' has sparked mixed reactions among netizens.

On the 21st, a post titled "I absolutely never crack down on motorcycles" was uploaded on the office worker community Blind. Mr. A, identified as belonging to the National Police Agency, lamented, "They run away on sidewalks, escape between cars, and even run red lights, so patrol cars can't catch them."

Regarding the 'motorcycle crackdown,' a police officer's 'bombshell' declaration has drawn mixed reactions from netizens. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article.
Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Mr. A continued, "Decisively, a colleague who was chasing a motorcycle ended up with the driver becoming disabled during the pursuit, and a lawsuit was filed claiming the police caused the accident by pursuing recklessly," adding, "The lawyer fees alone exceeded 20 million won, and having to take leave and annual leave to attend court repeatedly wore the person down."

He also said, "This happened 1 to 2 years ago, but the trial is still ongoing," and added, "Of course, promotion is out of the question."

The post sparked a heated debate among netizens, who expressed various opinions.

First, Mr. B, also from the National Police Agency, shared, "I chased a motorcycle for 5 minutes, but the driver eventually hit a little girl at a crosswalk," expressing empathy by saying, "If I hadn’t pursued recklessly, no one would have been hurt. Ultimately, my 'overreaction' was the problem." Other responses included, "If you can't enforce safely, don't try," and "The process of chasing and catching is much more dangerous than expected."

On the other hand, some netizens commented, "Still, as a police officer, you must do your best in your role," and "Safety is paramount, but what needs to be done should be done."

On the 21st, a post titled "I Never Crack Down on Motorcycles" was uploaded on the employee community Blind. Mr. A, identified as belonging to the National Police Agency, complained, "If they run away on the sidewalk, escape between cars, or even run red lights, patrol cars cannot catch them."
[Photo by Online Community 'Blind']

Meanwhile, as criticisms about the difficulty of on-site crackdowns on motorcycles like Mr. A’s complaint continue, the government is recently accelerating the introduction of unmanned enforcement systems.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport launched a research project in April titled "Study on the Number Plate System and Design Improvement for Two-Wheeled Vehicles" and began reviewing the application of front number plates. Most closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed on roads capture front number plates. Under current law, motorcycle number plates are installed on the rear. This has led to repeated criticisms that motorcycle drivers evade CCTV enforcement even when speeding.

The National Police Agency has been conducting a three-month pilot operation since the 13th at four locations using "bidirectional unmanned enforcement equipment" that simultaneously captures the front and rear of vehicles. The police expect this to effectively crack down on speeding and signal violations by motorcycles with rear-mounted number plates.

Police Internal Regulation Advises Avoiding 'Reckless Crackdowns'

The National Police Agency has been conducting a three-month pilot operation of the "bidirectional unmanned enforcement equipment," which simultaneously captures the front and rear of vehicles, at four locations since the 13th. The police expect to effectively enforce speeding and signal violations of motorcycles with license plates mounted at the rear.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

The police recommend avoiding 'reckless crackdowns' through internal regulations.

According to the National Police Agency's "Traffic Enforcement Guidelines," officers enforcing traffic violations are advised, "In case of fleeing vehicles, do not pursue recklessly but coordinate via radio." Dangerous acts such as blocking a vehicle with one’s body or hanging onto a vehicle are also prohibited. Officers with management and supervisory responsibilities are required to prioritize the safety of officers on site.

There have been cases where police officers who caused casualties through reckless pursuits were fined.

In December 2020, during a pursuit of a motorcycle that violated a signal over approximately 4 km, a patrol car exceeded the speed limit and overtook at 100 km/h, blocking the motorcycle’s path. Startled by the police approach, the motorcycle driver hit a road curb and a roadside tree and fell, later dying a week after the accident.

The first trial court judged that the motorcycle driver’s signal violation was not a serious crime and sentenced the police officer to a fine of 20 million won for breach of duty of care.

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