Corrupt Police System in Seoul Gangnam Loved by Police Officials

Gangnam Preferred by Police? = A few years ago, there was a rumor that bars and restaurants in Gangnam area were divided half and half between two police officials. It did not prove to be true, but later one of them was indicted by the prosecution for the count of having receiving bribes worth 60 million won.

The reason why police officials want to work for police stations in Gangnam area is because of advantageous conditions for them to get promoted. In Gangnam area, not only there is a lot of work to perform but also they can have easy access to money and important figures.

A former official at Gangnam Station said, “ I had to receive several calls a day from the upper figures asking for a favor. If I worked it out well, I got to have dinner with him and in the process I met with a lot of high officials.”

This shows one aspect of the corrupted Korean police system in which a police office often contacts high officials as a reward for his favor.

That is why there is a widespread rumor that high levels of police officers have some power behind them.

In fact, 8 out of 14 police station heads and 7 out of 11 high police officials were from Honam area where former President Kim Dae-jung was born.

Another widespread practice is that a police office provides exorbitant amount of money to his boss in case he gets promoted.

Unceasing corruption = Last month, there was a huge splash around the case where a police detective abducted a stock broker to demand 3.5 biillion won from his family.

Last year, a police detective who resigned three months earlier abducted a stock broker to extort some 205 billion won.

Punishments cases for such criminality among police offices in 2001 and 2002 stood at 8.3 (3.1 percent) and 5.8(3.1%), with the numbers for Seoul higher than other areas –20 (7.5 %) and 26 (13.8 %).

Sweeping changes? = With numerous corruptive practices among police officials, the Seoul Police released a huge plan on July 14th to supersede some 1900 officials in 31 police stations in Seoul.

However, Gangnam accounted for only 21.1 percent (151). This is so small a change compared to the demand from the Seoul Police Director Choi Gi-moon that overhaul should be made in police stations in Gangnam area.

Most of them were lower levels while only 49 were superseded in four sections of the Gangnam police system.

Jin-Goo Lee In-Jik Cho sys1201@donga.com cij1999@donga.com