"Anyone Who Visited the Room Salon, Come Forward"… Gangnam Police Station Launches Full Staff Investigation After New Scandal

Investigation Into All District Officers at Gangnam Police Station Over Hospitality Solicitation Allegations
Repeated Collusion Suspicions... Sweeping Overhaul of Investigation Teams

The fact that the Gangnam Police Station’s A District Precinct in Seoul conducted an internal investigation into whether any of its staff had visited adult entertainment establishments has brought renewed suspicion of collusion between the police and such venues.

On May 16, the Chosun Ilbo and other outlets, citing police sources, reported that Officer B from the A District Precinct is suspected of soliciting hospitality from a manager at an adult entertainment venue in the Gangnam area.

This establishment is a room salon that has been operating in the Gangnam district for an extended period. It has been the site of frequent incidents involving intoxicated patrons, including cases in which a celebrity program participant was arrested in connection with events there. Officer B reportedly demanded hospitality from the venue manager, saying, “Even if an incident occurs, I will cover it up, so do well.”

Gangnam Police Station New Building in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

As the controversy grew, the A District Precinct launched an internal investigation, telling all staff, “If anyone has visited the room salon, come forward.” However, as of now, no staff member has admitted to visiting the establishment. The precinct also stated that while they conducted fact-checking, they were unable to confirm any actual provision of hospitality or exchange of money or valuables.

The Gangnam Police Station has faced repeated allegations of collusion with adult entertainment establishments over the years. Following the so-called Burning Sun scandal in 2019, the National Police Agency designated the Gangnam Police Station as a “Special Personnel Management Zone.” At the time, officers from Gangnam Police Station were suspected of colluding with entertainment venues, and statistical data showed that it had the highest number of disciplinary cases for misconduct among police stations nationwide.

Recently, Inspector C, a former senior investigator at the Gangnam Police Station, has been under prosecution investigation for allegedly receiving hospitality and money from Mr. Lee—a wealthy figure and the husband of a famous influencer—in exchange for a request to cover up a case. The inspector was later demoted to team member and relieved of duty.

As the controversy continues, the police have begun a large-scale personnel overhaul of the Gangnam Police Station’s investigative and criminal divisions. The National Police Agency has decided to virtually replace all staff in these divisions and is currently recruiting for the positions, targeting investigators with experience at non-Gangnam police stations and those with attorney qualifications.

In particular, it is reported that team leader positions at the rank of inspector and above are being reserved for those with experience in metropolitan investigation units or as team leaders at frontline police stations, reflecting a shift toward recruitment of external personnel.

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