"A Professional Becomes What He Envisions"... Kickboxing Champion Who Caught a Voice Phishing Suspect [MZ Police Officer]

<41> Kim Jooyoung, Police Officer at Seocho 3 Police Substation, Seoul Seocho Police Station

Editor's NoteThe era of Generation Z has arrived. New employees in their 20s and 30s are now shaping the future of organizational culture. The police are no exception. The police force is made up of various departments, including criminal investigation, general investigation, security, intelligence, traffic, administration, public relations, audit, and women & youth affairs. Working environments differ greatly, whether at provincial headquarters, police stations, mobile units, or substations, and duties vary significantly by region. From the perspective of the youngest police officers, we introduce their departments and share vivid stories about their work and lives as they see them.

"There is someone in front of the ATM who appears to be a money mule for a voice phishing scam."

On November 12, a report of suspected voice phishing was received at the Seocho 3 Police Substation of Seoul Seocho Police Station. A bank employee reported that someone was attempting to transfer money, believed to have been fraudulently obtained from a victim, to an account under another person's name. Five police officers, including Officer Kim Jooyoung (28), were immediately dispatched to the scene and confronted the suspected money mule.

The suspect first claimed, "I received the money as payment for work," but then changed his statement to, "I received the money for legal fees." He continued to stall for time, saying, "I want to smoke," and "I want to drink water." Officer Kim accompanied the suspect whenever he moved, closely monitoring all his movements and blocking any chance of escape. Officer Kim said, "Although we arrested him in the act after the investigation, I thought he might still try to escape until we fully confirmed his involvement in the crime," adding, "I kept a close watch on all his movements, blocked his escape routes, and was confident that I could immediately subdue him if he tried to run."

Police Officer Kim Jooyoung of Seocho 3 Police Substation poses before an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

A Former Kickboxing Champion, the Confident Youngest Officer at the Substation

Although he was only assigned to the substation as the youngest officer in August this year, Officer Kim, a former martial arts athlete, is confident in his ability to subdue any suspect in any situation. Having competed as a martial artist for about ten years since 2010, he was the flyweight champion of the Korea Kickboxing Association and the winner of the national Muay Thai team flyweight selection tournament. Officer Kim said, "Based on my experience as an athlete, I am confident that I can fulfill the role of a police officer who protects the safety of citizens without faltering in any situation."

To protect citizens, he continues to train himself relentlessly. Officer Kim said, "Even as an athlete, I kept increasing my training volume, but as a police officer who is constantly dispatched to real-life situations, I believe I need to work even harder," adding, "Currently, I run 5 to 10 kilometers every day and practice jiu-jitsu as well." Since he cannot subdue suspects with kickboxing alone, he focuses on building the stamina to chase suspects and the skills to restrain them.

This mindset stems from his experiences as an athlete. At one point, Officer Kim suffered three consecutive losses and fell into a slump. To overcome this, he honed his basics, such as jump rope and footwork, and nearly doubled his actual training time by reducing his breaks. As a result, in a fiercely contested fourth round of the finals, he exploited his opponent's fatigue and landed a knee kick for a KO victory, becoming the champion.

Police Officer Kim Jooyoung of Seocho 3 Police Substation is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The Reason He Left the Ring for the Field

Officer Kim decided to become a police officer while serving as a conscripted police officer during his military service. While stationed at Gimpo Airport Police Unit, he felt a sense of pride as he patrolled the building and assisted citizens. Officer Kim said, "While working as a conscripted police officer, I realized that, unlike athletes who showcase their training in the ring under set rules, police officers face real-life situations where everything is unscripted. That aspect seemed admirable to me," adding, "Although the tension is high because a single mistake in the field can lead to serious consequences for citizens, I take pride in working with such a great sense of responsibility."

His experience as a martial artist also helps him remain calm and solve problems in real-life situations. Officer Kim said, "If a field officer gets injured, it makes citizens even more anxious, so I believe I should never get hurt," adding, "Thanks to my experience as a martial artist, I am not afraid at all, even if someone attacks me, and I can actually anticipate their movements." He continued, "There are times when intoxicated individuals try to start a physical altercation or get violent, but I always try to avoid their attacks and calm them down."

Police Officer Kim Jooyoung of Seocho 3 Police Substation poses before an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

"I Learn by Watching My Seniors"... The Youngest Officer Aspiring to Be a Professional

Of course, as the youngest, there is still much to learn. He finds it challenging to deal with civil complaints and apply the law in the field. Whenever that happens, Officer Kim tries to observe and emulate his seniors. Officer Kim said, "Since I focused only on sports, I'm not very good at speaking, so sometimes I struggle to handle civil complaints, and I also get flustered when applying the law in the field," adding, "To overcome these issues, I always ask my seniors and closely observe how they respond, trying to follow their example."

Recently, Officer Kim received a complaint call about parking but was unable to resolve it, so he had to stay on the phone for a long time. He explained to the complainant that the parking space was private property and that legal measures could not be taken, but the complainant kept insisting on action. In the end, Officer Kim reported the situation to his seniors, who advised, "It's better to go in person and explain," and accompanied him to the scene. The senior officer listened empathetically to the complainant, and as a result, the complainant immediately accepted that the senior could not provide further assistance.

Officer Kim said, "I realized that meeting face-to-face and explaining with empathy is much more effective than explaining a hundred times over the phone that I can't help," adding, "Now, even when I can't help, instead of refusing outright, I try to be a police officer who listens to citizens first."

Officer Kim said he feels the greatest sense of pride when he puts on his uniform and looks in the mirror before going to work. He concluded the interview by saying, "An amateur becomes what he worries about, but a professional becomes what he envisions. Like my seniors who handle and wrap up their work in the field just as they planned, I also want to become a 'professional police officer' who helps citizens and protects their safety."

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