"Beware of the 'Cops and Robbers chase game'"... Concerns it could be used as a front for proselytizing or crime

[The Financial News]"Please be careful about the 'Cops and Robbers chase game.' I hear there are a lot of members of OOO (a religious group). Sometimes it turns out everyone except you is from OOO."The recently booming "Cops and Robbers" game, also known as the "Cops and Robbers chase game," is drawing criticism that, because of its structural feature of mixing large numbers of unspecified participants, it could be exploited for proselytizing by specific religious groups, various crimes, and even waste of police resources. There is concern that it causes not-insignificant public anxiety and confusion in policing for it to be dismissed as a mere game.
According to reporting compiled by The Financial News on the 20th, "Cops and Robbers" is organized by recruiting participants through online communities and then playing offline in public spaces such as parks, riverside areas, and sports fields. Among the people who gather, some are assigned the role of "cops" and others of "robbers"; the cops catch the robbers and put them in a jail area, and other robbers free them by touching the jail. This tag-style chase game is attracting not only people in their 20s and 30s but also middle-aged and older participants.
There have even been cases where a citizen who identifies themselves as an "active-duty police officer" hosts such gatherings. On online communities such as Danggeun Market, numerous recruitment posts have been found for games to be held across the country, including in Gangnam District in Seoul, Songpa District, Seongdong District, Bundang District, Goyang, Yongin, Gyeyang District in Incheon, Gwangsan District, Gwangju, and Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
However, there is also considerable concern that runs counter to the original intent. Because the game is run in an "open meetup" format and each gathering is organized individually, critics point out that there is effectively no way to regulate it even if it is abused for crime or religious proselytizing. Online, warnings such as "Beware of the Cops and Robbers chase game" are being posted along with comments like "There is a reason something suddenly becomes a fad" and "Any gathering of an unspecified large number of people is always risky," reflecting the same line of concern.
Cho, a 34-year-old office worker living in Songpa District, Seoul, said, "One evening I saw a group of people running around a park shouting, and for a moment I thought something serious had happened," adding, "I once left the area because I felt uneasy, not knowing whether it was just a prank or an actual dangerous situation." Lee, a 51-year-old homemaker living in Seocho District, also confessed, "I am worried that my children might join one of these gatherings and end up being exposed to proselytizing by a religious group or to crime."
Some also warn that the line between play and crime could become blurred. In one group chat room, a message was posted saying, "To the person who stole my bag during the Cops and Robbers chase game, please turn yourself in. I never imagined there would be a real thief," indicating that loss or theft occurred during the game.
The possibility of confusion in policing cannot be ruled out either. Scenes of dozens of people running around in groups and chasing one another can easily be mistaken by bystanders for an actual crime in progress and lead to calls to the police. In fact, on the night of the 2nd of this month at Hangang Park in Mapo District, Seoul, police were dispatched after a citizen mistook a "Cops and Robbers" game for a crime. A check at the scene found no criminal activity, and it was confirmed to be a game, so the situation was closed. However, experts note that repeated police dispatches of this kind could unnecessarily consume law enforcement resources and disrupt responses to urgent incidents.
Experts warn that chase games conducted in public spaces carry inherent structural risks. Lim Jun-tae, a professor in the Department of Police Administration, Dongguk University, said, "The moment a private game causes harm to a large number of unrelated people, it clearly becomes a problem," adding, "If the police are dispatched due to mistaken reports, citizens may feel great anxiety, and the situation could lead to unexpected physical clashes or unfortunate incidents." He went on to stress, "Participants themselves need to recognize the boundary between public and private spheres and exercise at least minimal caution in matters such as choosing locations and giving prior notice."
Yeom Gun-woong, a professor in the Department of Police & Fire Administration, U1 University, said, "In the case of pseudo-religious groups, they often approach people in a friendly manner by exploiting psychological vulnerabilities, so particular caution is needed," and advised, "People should be aware that this kind of play culture can be abused and, with a mature sense of citizenship, establish rules and standards for it."

yesji@fnnews.com Kim Ye-ji Reporter