Police Issue Special Alert on Public Service Discipline Amid Repeated Poor Performance; Ban All Office Gatherings

[Financial News] As improper handling of police work, including the false closure of a missing-person case in Jeju Province, has continued to surface, the National Police Agency has issued a 10-day special alert on public service discipline and stepped up duty management.
According to the National Police Agency on the 28th, the special alert will be in effect nationwide from today through Sept. 6.
The measure comes after a series of recent cases involving inappropriate police work. In Jeju Province, it was revealed that an officer closed a missing-person case falsely without confirming whether the missing person was safe.
During the special alert period, police will discourage drinking and ban all office gatherings. They will also avoid holding events whenever possible or postpone them.
Duty management will also be tightened at each agency. The National Police Agency and Provincial Police Agencies will hold at least one countermeasure meeting during the alert period, while local police stations and Mobile Regiments will hold daily meetings led by the head of each office.
The police also plan to conduct training for employees on preventing duty violations and send frequent text alerts to raise internal awareness. If any duty violation is found during the special alert period, the police said they will take strict action not only against the officer involved but also against the manager.
In a letter released the same day, the National Police Agency’s human rights inspector said, "Criticism of the police has continued day after day over the leak of investigative information and inappropriate handling of cases by police officers," and added, "We are issuing a special alert to establish strict public service discipline."
The inspector also said, "The way public officials handle their duties can lead to problems far beyond a simple mistake, depending on the outcome," and urged police officers to work together with the mindset that each of them represents the organization in order to restore trust that matches their authority.
[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter