Ahead of a 'Police Day' commendation, 17-year veteran police officer dies before taking the stage

[Financial News] As the 81st Police Day approaches, the story of a police officer selected for a commendation from the chief of the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency in recognition of past service, but who died before being able to take the stage, has emerged, saddening those around the officer.
According to Newsis on the 21st, veteran Inspector Jin Ui-hyeon, who had been selected for the commendation, died suddenly last month. He had 17 years of service. According to Uijeongbu Police Station, where Jin had worked, he lost consciousness after arriving outside his home in his own car with a designated driver at around 7:50 p.m. on September 30, following dinner with his teammates.
He was immediately taken to hospital by emergency responders but ultimately died. Jin, who was born in 1977, was reportedly unable to drink alcohol and was not someone who sought it out. An autopsy by the National Forensic Service found that he had died of acute myocardial infarction.
The late Inspector Jin was the second-most experienced officer after the team leader in Violent Crimes Team 1 of Uijeongbu Police Station’s Criminal Division. His position was like that of detective Ma Seok-do, the lead character played by actor Ma Dong-seok in the film The Outlaws.
Given the nature of the cases handled by violent crimes teams, officers’ safety is not guaranteed at arrest scenes. It is difficult to predict how a suspect will resist, so being at the very front of a scene always carries considerable risk.
But Inspector Jin always led junior colleagues from the front. He was also highly capable in his duties as a detective. Before joining the violent crimes team, he worked in the Women and Juvenile Crime Investigation Unit of the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency. There, he investigated the 'Yangju Taekwondo Studio Child Abuse Death Case,' which had sparked public outrage. He restored deleted CCTV footage, uncovered evidence that abuse had occurred dozens of times, and had the studio director arrested and referred to prosecutors in custody.
Inspector Jin transferred to Uijeongbu Police Station’s Violent Crimes Team 1 and began working there on March 19 last year. He reportedly worked through two consecutive nights about a week before his death. Even when he had worked for nearly 48 hours without sleep, he reassured and encouraged junior colleagues, saying that they were doing meaningful work. The dinner that turned out to be his last with his teammates was reportedly an occasion for them to support and encourage one another, as Jin was due to transfer to Violent Crimes Team 4 the next day following a personnel reassignment.
Violent Crimes Team 1 remembered him as a senior colleague who took the initiative without complaint, even while shouldering a heavy workload—the five-person team handled around 400 cases. His teammates said with sorrow, "He had a strong sense of duty and responsibility, put his heart into every case, and taught junior colleagues a great deal," and, "He was someone who always showed through his actions how considerate he was, so as not to burden his juniors."
They added, their eyes welling up, "In the days before he died, he told us he was having trouble digesting food and felt bloated. We should have made sure he got medical attention then."
Jin studied physical education at Dankook University and served in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROK Marine Corps). He began his police career as a constable in 2009 and was recognized as an outstanding officer, receiving one commendation from the National Police Agency commissioner general, seven from provincial police agency chiefs, and nine from police station chiefs.
He excelled in every area, earning the top grade every time in shooting and physical fitness tests, both essential for police work. He was also a devoted husband to his wife and father to their two children, and a South Korean police officer who dedicated himself to serving the public with a strong sense of duty.
[email protected] Kim Hee-seon Reporter