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We reported exclusively yesterday, July 23, that a senior police officer who has worked near Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, for over 30 years is undergoing high-intensity inspection over allegations of sexually harassing junior female police officers. According to our reporting, the National Police Agency's inspection has expanded to include allegations of inappropriate personnel interference within the organization, alongside the sexual misconduct. It has been found that it was an open secret within the police force that one had to go through this senior officer to get promoted.
Here is an exclusive report by Reporter Bae Seong-jae.
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Senior Inspector A has been placed under inspection by the National Police Agency on charges of sexually harassing more than 10 junior female police officers at drinking gatherings over several years.
Testimonies are pouring in that such misconduct was possible because he leveraged his connections and influence built over more than 30 years working as an intelligence police officer near Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, to interfere in local police personnel decisions regardless of superiors and subordinates.
[Local Police Official B: He makes requests to his personal connections. Like, "Let's make this person our chief this time." For the past few years, continuously, to the point where people practically called him the president.]
According to SBS reporting, the Inspection Division of the National Police Agency, which launched an inspection earlier this month, has also secured circumstances pointing to Senior Inspector A's inappropriate personnel interference and is investigating the matter.
A local police officer told SBS, "It is an unwritten rule that you cannot get promoted in the Geoje Police Station without going through Senior Inspector A," adding, "If the inspection is conducted properly, personnel-related corruption will come out like a string of dried pollock."
Most of those who have been candidates for special promotion or promotion screening at the senior inspector rank in recent years have reportedly worked with or maintained close ties with Senior Inspector A.
Multiple police officials testified to SBS that there was even a case where an administrative staff member who worked in the same department as Senior Inspector A bypassed all senior colleagues four to five years ahead of them to receive a special promotion, thanks to Senior Inspector A's backing.
The inspection team is also reportedly verifying tips that Senior Inspector A received money and valuables from junior police officers along with requests for promotion.
[Local Police Official C: I heard stories that there was a price tag, saying you have to pay about 50 million won to get promoted to senior inspector, and how much more you have to pay to get promoted to inspector.]
If the allegations of inappropriate personnel interference, following years of sexual misconduct charges, are proven true, they are expected to lead to a full-scale investigation, which will likely cause an even greater fallout.
(Video Editing: Park Na-young, Design: Han Song-yeon)
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