Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This is a news blog for my Undergraduate Criminology class at Ewha University in Seoul, South Korea for Spring 2010.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete*Yujung Kim
ReplyDelete*Protesters found guilty in Yongsan fire incident
The article is about nine protestors accused of causing a fire during a clash between evictees and police at a redevelopment site in Yongsan were found guilty. One police officer were killed and some were injured, this maybe the most common case where police officers get
injured or killed, while putting down riot.
Although it's a myth, but in case of other countries, especially in america, there are relatively more number of police officers get killed by suspects and in some other countries, there are many cases where police were killed by terror. But in Korea there might be less police get killed by suspects because not only killing of police officerrs itself is a rare case but
moreover, possession of arms is illegal in Korea so the possibility would get rarer.
In Korea, there isn't a national crime investigating agency like FBI, and there are few TV programs produced to depict police works as
dangerous and police as "crime fighting". So it is likely that Korean people don't have many chance to get to know about police work unless
they get involved themselves in crimes or there is a nationally noticeable crime case like serial killers who're not caught.
---------------------------------------
A local court yesterday convicted protesters involved in a deadly Yongsan blaze which claimed the lives of five protesters and a SWAT
officer in January. The court’s ruling came six months after proceedings were delayed following several hearings that were interrupted by
families and supporters of the protesters.
On Jan. 20, a fire broke out during a clash between police and protesters who were demanding higher compensation for apartments and businesses being demolished as part of a redevelopment project. Protesters continued to occupy the Namildang building despite constant
government warnings to withdraw. SWAT officers were dispatched to evict them. The fire erupted after protesters threw Molotov cocktails to
try to repel the officers.
All nine protesters were indicted in February on charges of interfering with government officials and the killing of the SWAT officer.
---------------------------------------
*http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2911874
Young Ju Lim
ReplyDeleteCorrupt Police
This is not a real article (it is editorial), but this is dealing with police corruption. There are several case of police corruption, and stimulate police’s awakening.
This editorial points out police corruption in 2 ways. First one is structural problem. I think structural problem comes from police stress. Every day, police officers suffer from many headaches. The textbook said that is the demanding rules as police, disagreeable and dangerous job assignment, and limited employee promotion opportunities. It is like strain theory. Riot police officers are mostly low-grade officers. They didn’t receive proper treatment compared with desk worker public servant. Because of relative deprivation, they become more and more stressful. It can also affect police officer’s ethics. It is structural problem of police, and more advanced society’s organizational problem.
Secondly, the author indicates police officer’s ethics. The author said police officers should abide by stricter ethics and have a stronger will to break corrupt ties and sincerely perform their duty as servants of the people. But I think, we emphasize too much on noble cause of police, also in police subculture emphasizes that. Police are learned subconsciously, but these are intertwining with myths and ethics. Because of this, they often confused the means to protect society. We should divide ethos and myths. It can be helpful for fighting with police corruption.
---------------------------------------------
At the end of last month, the police agency unveiled anti-corruption packages including a self-cleanup campaign, the promotion of whistle blowing and the creation of a team to investigate bribery cases involving the police. What's important is that police officers should abide by stricter ethics and have a stronger will to break corrupt ties and sincerely perform their duty as servants of the people.
-----------------
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2010/01/202_43157.html
Sohhee (Sophia) Hwang
ReplyDeletePolice Shooting Unarmed Civilian in Los Angeles Korean Town
This article deals with two police officers who killed an unarmed civilian (a Korean American named Steve Eugene Washington).
The article causes disputes: First, whether those police officers should have used weapons in that situation. It has been reported that Steve Eugene Washington was putting his hand on his waist, and officers considered him to have a weapon. And he didn’t. If they shouldn’t have done it, it is a murder. Second, are those police officers punished rightly?
-------------------------------------------------
당시 한인타운을 순찰하던 경찰관들은 검문을 위해 워싱턴을 멈춰 세우려 했으나 그가 갑자기 경찰관 쪽으로 다가오면서 허리춤에 손을 갖다대 총을 쐈다고 해명한 것으로 경찰 당국이 밝혔다.
Police reported that, at that time, police officers on patrol in LA Korean Town shot Washington because while they tried to stop Washington for inspection, Washington suddenly approached officers putting his hand on his waist.
경찰 당국은 경관 2명이 한 번씩 총을 쐈고 워싱턴은 머리에 총을 맞았다고 덧붙였다.
Police reported that two officers each shot for once and Washington got gunshots in the head.
조사결과 숨진 워싱턴은 어떤 무기도 소지하지 않았던 것으로 밝혀졌다.
Washington did not possess any kind of weapon.
워싱턴의 가족들은 LA지역 ABC방송과 인터뷰에서 워싱턴은 절대 폭력적인 사람이 아니며 16세 정도의 지능에 자폐증을 앓고 있다고 밝히고, 이번 사건은 살인이라고 주장했다.
Washington’s family told in an interview with LA ABC that Washington had never been a violent person and he had been autistic, and that this case is a murder.
-------------------------------------------------
http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=100&oid=001&aid=0003180928
Elizabeth Tang
ReplyDelete“New drive will monitor police phone records”
------------------
The article is telling us about how the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is now requiring written consent from its 35,000 officers to have their telephone records checked by the agency on a regular basis. They are particularly targeting police officers involved in the crackdown on the illegal sex trade, as these officers come in frequent contact with sex-business owners and are particularly vulnerable to scandal. Of course, some officers complained that the action deeply infringes upon their privacy.
A presidential decree governing police in Korea states that officers should obey the laws, fulfill their official duty, and follow any regulations that govern relations with their superiors and subordinates. And this move comes as the latest measure taken by President Lee Myung-bak to deter corruption among public-service workers and improve their moral fiber.
I feel that the myth in this article is that police officers are viewed as morally upright and uncorrupted, but in reality there could be more corruption going on than meets the eye. Also, while police enforcement is in place to keep the sex trade controlled, they seem to have taken advantage of their position as law enforcers and taken bribes from the sex business owners instead. The myth that police enforcement helps in preventing such businesses from thriving does not seem to hold true, and is a double edged sword. The fact that the officers themselves need enforcement is quite a laugh, requiring double the effort to tackle a single problem of bribery with regards to the sex industry.
---------------------------
In an effort to weed out police corruption, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Sunday that it will require written consent from its 35,000 officers to have their telephone records checked by the agency on a regular basis.
While some officers complained that the action deeply infringes upon their privacy, the Seoul Police said they are taking extreme measures to bring down possible collusions between police officers and people who try to buy their support.
The Seoul Police are especially seeking consent from officers involved in the crackdown on the illegal sex trade, as these officers come in frequent contact with sex-business owners and are particularly vulnerable to scandal.
In the past, some officers have been dismissed on charges of looking after sex-business owners by taking bribes in return for tipping the owners to temporarily close their doors before a prostitution sting.
Starting this month, if telephone records show that police officers called sex-business owners and prostitutes during any official crackdown period and they cannot give a reason why, the officers will face disciplinary measures including suspension or dismissal, Seoul Police said.
“Checking the telephone records of police officers is a justifiable order by police leadership and officers should follow the order,” a Seoul police inspector said.
A presidential decree governing police in Korea states that officers should obey the laws, fulfill their official duty, and follow any regulations that govern relations with their superiors and subordinates.
The latest measure reflects President Lee Myung-bak’s pledge to deter corruption among public-service workers and improve their moral fiber.
A government official who asked not to be named said the measure is especially timely as President Lee enters his third year of office and the regional election looms in June. He said it’s important for the government to be sure that public-service workers aren’t neglecting their duties.
Other government agencies are also joining the anti-corruption movement.
The National Tax Service activated inspection teams to investigate suspicious dealings by tax men and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office also declared a war on corruption recently.
----------------------------
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2916087
Valerie Raeymaekers
ReplyDeleteGangster’s bash draws cops, too
In Kangnam, the birthday celebration of a known gang leader drew out 100 police officers, including SWAT forces to maintain control. According to the police this kind of control was necessary because the birthday boy named Lee, is a gang veteran leader and his birthday in the Imperial Palace Hotel in Nonhyeon-dong would count about 400 members, including some noted gang members and leaders as well. Lee also invited fellow gang leaders Cho Yang-eun, Lee Kang-han and Kim Tae-chon, all of whom were once regarded as powerful leading figures in Korean gang history. At first the police tried to get the party cancelled but when that did not work, they stationed in front of the hotel and checked up on some guests before letting them enter the hotel. This not because they feared that the crowd might get violent, since the days in which violence was used to claim territory are over now, but because “The gangsters team up in groups and launch a joint business instead.”
I tought this article to be a good example of how police are depicted in the media as the protectors of the people. Also through exageration for something that does not immediately seemed to be necessary, the police in this article seem to be the really good guys who want to stop a major crime organisation. The mentioning of 100 police officirs and a SWAT team also increases fear with people who might have seen that, as to show that imminent danger is nearby, but police are there to settle it.
------------------
A Gangnam gang leader’s 70th birthday party included some uninvited presence - the eyes of some 100 police officers, including SWAT forces.
The celebrations for the gangster, surnamed Lee, took place yesterday evening at Imperial Palace Hotel in Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, hours after police surrounded the area. Some guests were allowed to enter the hotel only after being checked by police officers.
According to police, Lee is a veteran gangster and who led the old Saemaeul gang, a Korean word that translates into “new town.” Lee invited more than 400 guests to his party - including fellow gang leaders Cho Yang-eun, Lee Kang-han and Kim Tae-chon, all of whom were once regarded as powerful leading figures in Korean gangster history.
“Strict countermeasures need to be addressed to prevent the gangs from showing off their power in the heart of Seoul.”
---------------
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2920720
Gayoung KIM
ReplyDeletePolice chasing own forged cash
-------------------------------------------------------
In September 2007 the National Police Agency made 120 000 fake 10 000 won banknotes to use them in kidnapping cases. Despite its intention this policing went wrong and caused a considerable harm to the public.
On 10 February 2009, a bakery owner in Seoul was kidnapped by two offenders. They asked the owner’s husband for 70 million won in cash. The victim’s husband gave them a briefcase which contained fake cash prepared by the police. The bakery owner was released. The briefcase was installed with a tracking device but the suspects get the money and threw away the briefcase. One of the suspects was apprehended but the other one who had been carrying the fake cash led the police a merry chase.
The lost suspect identified Chung used the money in Seoul for several times. He even bought a motorbike with the police-made banknote and resold it to secure real cash(about 4 million won).
Police, now doesn’t have any way to solve this problem. The reason why it’s difficult to find Chung is the police didn’t listen to the Bank of Korea. According to an expert on banknotes, anyone who needs to use fake bill is supposed to report to the BOK before making the bills to prevent the fake banknotes get in circulation-if the police had made the report, there could have been some precautionary measures. However the police never made any report in advance. Now they decide to offer high reward for this case.
According to an additional Korean article that I read, a man who sold the motorcycle to the suspect Chung made a law suit because he got damage by taking fake cash when he sold the item. The court was in the man’s favor pointing out the police’s mistake.
In my opinion, this article shows police’s laxness in criminal problem solving. They believed that they would arrest the suspects with the fake banknotes without reporting the usage of it. However, they were too sure about their conduct. Or they might have thought that it was expensive to adopt some other alternative measures.
ReplyDeleteThey should have put deeper consideration before operating this strategy which has caused some additional damages to innocent people such as the man who lost his 700 million-won-motorcycle. The police’s poor achievement also resulted in heavy tax waste because they decided to offer high reward for providing key information about the suspect. Besides, they have to more time and budget chasing the SMART suspect Chung. What is funny is that now the agency is asking for people’s help-“Tips and information from the public is the most important of all.” Don’t they know who made the situation worse?
People think that law enforcement agencies such as police are using some high-technology and intelligent ways in arresting criminals to make the society safe and stable. And sometimes people say “Let’s go to the police station and find out who’s right and wrong!” when they think they are in damage, which means people somewhat trust the power and justice of these agencies. However as we can see in this article, they make this huge mistakes making the society damaged.
-------------------------------------------------------
Police authorities are under fire for failing to arrest a kidnapping suspect and recall the police-forged banknotes used to lure the suspect earlier this month. It was reported that the police kept silent about the suspect`s use of fake bills until a day after it happened. "Anybody who needs to use fake bills is required report to the Bank of Korea before making the bills ... but the police never made such a report," Kim Doo-kyung, former director general of the currency issue department at the Bank of Korea, told a local weekly magazine. As an expert on banknotes, Kim said the police could have embedded radio-frequency identification chips into the fibers of the banknotes, which may have cost more but would have assisted them in the tracking process. "However, the police went ahead with their decision not to have such protection in place and great danger comes when using fake bills in investigations without any precautionary measures," he said. "Although it might be rather small-scale, we already see the rising problems.
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20090227000079
SeJin Jung
ReplyDeleteYoung officer in coma after being hit by drunk driver
-------------------------------------------------
Auxiliary police officer Kim Ji-hun, who was hit by a drunken driver while on duty
has been in a coma since the accident took place. This accident proves that how dangerous the police work is. They are exposed to dangerous inspection spots without being equipped with safety tools. According to the National Policy Agency, nearly 100 policemen are either injured or killed every year while checking for drunken drivers. In addition, even if this auxiliary police officer recovers, he will not make decision to be a real police officer again. This is because the frequently perceived potential for crisis situations is made among him and people around him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A dream of becoming a career police officer has been dashed for Kim Ji-hun, 21, who was hit by a drunken driver at a road block while serving his military service as an auxiliary police officer.
On Dec. 11 at around 10 p.m., Kim and three fellow policemen were on duty in Seosan, South Chungcheong. A car approaching the checkpoint they were manning suddenly backed up and made a U-turn, hitting Kim, who was standing in the opposite lane. Stuck under the car, he was dragged about 700 meters (2,296 feet) until another car blocked the runaway vehicle.
The driver of the fleeing vehicle was found to have a blood alcohol content if 0.102 percent, a level at which a driver’s license is revoked.
ReplyDeleteIn Korea, operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.05 percent or above represents driving under the influence, and results in a temporary license suspension. A license is revoked at 0.1 percent or above.
The friction between Kim’s body and the road resulted in the skin on one side of his head being peeled down to the bone. He also lost most of the skin from his back, thigh and elbow. His right eye, was burned by the underside of the car’s engine.
He had to undergo major surgery, during which parts of his brain had to be removed. Doctors have said it will be impossible for him to resume a normal life, even if he recovers.
Kim has been in a coma for over a month in an intensive care unit at the Samsung Medical Center in Gangnam, southern Seoul, breathing with the help of a respirator.
Heavy layers of bandage are wrapped around his head and a tube runs into his nose. His entire body is disinfected in an operation room every day, starting at 10:30 a.m.
Kim’s mother, Pyeon Gyeong-geum, 45, has been forced to quit her job selling food from a street cart in Hongseong. She said her son was proud of serving the country as an auxiliary police officer and wanted to go on to become a real policeman.
According to the National Policy Agency, nearly 100 policemen are either injured or killed every year while checking for drunken drivers.
“Drunk driving is both suicide and murder,” said Kang Jeong-suk, 51, head of an organization of policemen’s parents. “[Police officers] are exposed to dangerous inspection spots without being equipped with safety tools.”
In a separate case from 2006, a drunken driver in his 40s killed a police officer with his vehicle. Holding on to the car door, the officer was dragged for 1.5 kilometers (1 mile). The driver collided with the meridian to knock the officer off the car. The offender was driving without a license, and the Suwon District Court in Gyeonggi sentenced him to 18 years in prison.
The NPA said drunken drivers with second convictions in Korea accounted for 39.2 percent of all criminal offenders last year.
Experts say measures to stop drunken driving have to be strengthened. Grand National Party lawmaker Park Jun-seon introduced a revised traffic law last November under which drunken drivers who have their licenses revoked after being caught three or more times must have anti-drunken driving systems installed in their cars.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2915431