"Being a Police Officer Was My True Calling"... Seo Changsun Reflects on 26 Years of Service

Discipline Built Through Sports and Dormitory Life,
The Comic "Police" Ignited the Spark
Communication with the Media Amid Incidents and Accidents,
Public Relations in Partnership with the People

Seo Changseon, Public Relations Officer of the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, stated that although there were difficult and challenging moments, being a police officer is a calling.

"There have been many difficult and challenging moments, but I have no regrets even now. Being a police officer is the right career for me and my true calling." Seo Changsun, the Public Relations Officer of Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, reflected on his 26-year police career and made this statement on September 29.

Seo explained that his connection to the police force was almost accidental. He had no relatives who were police officers, and his first visit to a police station was simply to submit his application to the Korean National Police University.

However, through his experiences as a student athlete in elementary and middle school and living in a dormitory during high school, he learned self-control and discipline, which naturally led him to dream of attending the police university. He recalled that the comic "Police" by author Lee Hyunse, which he read during his school days, ignited a spark in his heart.

Looking back, Seo said that his police career, which has spanned over 25 years, has been filled with more difficult and arduous moments than other professions. However, he emphasized, "I have lived with pride and a sense of fulfillment, and I have no regrets about my choice."

He also recalled a memory from his time as a traffic division chief at a local police station, when a major traffic accident resulted in three deaths and he had to give a live radio interview. At the time, the host pressed him as if he were the perpetrator, which left him flustered, but he now considers it a valuable lesson learned from dealing with the media.

He added, "I hope the media will address not only the faults of the police but also the structural issues involved."

Seo Changseon, the Public Relations Officer of Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, is focusing on communicating policies for preventing crimes affecting people's livelihoods and relational crimes in a way that the public can relate to, reflecting the saying, "Policy is promotion, and promotion is policy."

Regarding police public relations strategy, Seo said he is focusing on communicating policies to prevent crimes affecting people's livelihoods and relational crimes in a way that the public can empathize with, reflecting the saying, "Policy is publicity, and publicity is policy."

The Public Relations Office of Chungnam Provincial Police Agency is making new efforts by producing and distributing crime prevention content that the public can easily and comfortably access through social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The office is also collaborating with university students to create posters for drug and youth gambling prevention.

Seo explained that the most important role of the Public Relations Office is to effectively inform the public about policies and build trust. He added, "Rather than fearing criticism, I believe that approaching with truth and sincerity will ultimately resonate with people, and I continue my work with this conviction."

As the most challenging aspect of his role as Public Relations Officer, he cited being on standby 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. "Incidents can happen at any time, so I have to answer calls even when I wake up in the middle of the night or during social gatherings," he said. "Constantly searching for news articles has also caused my eyesight to deteriorate rapidly."

One memorable case for him was the "Asan Saemaeul Geumgo Robbery" that occurred in March last year.

He emphasized, "Right after the incident, there was chaos as media from across the country rushed in, but by streamlining communication with the press in consultation with the chief and making a swift arrest, we were able to resolve the case smoothly."

Seo Changseon, Public Relations Officer, Chungnam Provincial Police Agency

Regarding the direction of police policy and public relations, Seo stated, "Video content capturing the real-life activities of frontline police officers is resonating with the public," and added, "We will also actively pursue indirect publicity by naturally incorporating police policies into movies and dramas."

Born in Nonsan, Chungcheongnam-do in 1976, Seo Changsun graduated from Hanil High School in Gongju and the Korean National Police University, and has worked at the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency for 26 years. He has received a total of 26 awards, including one Prime Minister's Commendation, three Minister's Commendations, and one Commissioner General's Commendation.

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