Gwangju and Jeonnam Police Face 200 Disciplinary Actions in 5 Years... Oversight Committees Found Lacking

In the past five years, the number of disciplinary actions against police officers in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions has reached 200 cases.

According to audit data submitted by the National Police Agency to Assemblyman Han Byungdo of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Iksan-eul, North Jeolla Province) on October 16, a total of 201 disciplinary cases involving police officers affiliated with the Gwangju and Jeonnam Provincial Police Agencies were recorded from 2021 through June of this year.

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By year, there were 37 cases in 2021 (12 in Gwangju, 25 in Jeonnam), 65 cases in 2022 (8 in Gwangju, 57 in Jeonnam), 37 cases in 2023 (15 in Gwangju, 22 in Jeonnam), and 42 cases in 2024 (14 in Gwangju, 28 in Jeonnam). As of June this year, there have been 20 cases (3 in Gwangju, 17 in Jeonnam).

The operation of the Citizens' Inspection Committees, which were established at each provincial police agency to monitor police misconduct, was also found to be inadequate. Although regulations require regular meetings every two months with the participation of external experts, the Gwangju and Jeonnam police agencies have failed to comply with this rule.

The Gwangju Provincial Police Agency has held only one meeting per year since 2021, except for two meetings in 2021, and has not held any meetings so far this year. The Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency held one meeting in 2021, two in 2022, none in 2023, and after holding two meetings last year, has not convened any meetings this year.

Assemblyman Han stated, "If the police fail to introduce permanent and binding high-intensity anti-corruption measures, public trust will deteriorate even further."

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