Acting Police Commissioner General Apologizes to Family of Deceased Gwangju High School Student, Promises Stern Punishment for Responsible Parties

Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, issued a public apology today (July 10) regarding the controversy surrounding the poor investigation and allegations of collusion in the Jang Yoon-gi case.
During a video conference with senior police officials nationwide held this morning, Acting Commissioner General Yoo stated, "It is a devastating development that the team leader in charge of the investigation at the time of the Jang Yoon-gi case has been arrested on charges of destroying evidence," adding, "We are taking the concerns and reprimands from the public very seriously."
He continued, "I offer my deepest apologies to the bereaved family for causing them such profound and lasting pain once again," and added, "I am also deeply sorry for disappointing the public."
Yoo bowed his head repeatedly as public distrust in the police has grown, with public opinion increasingly favoring the expansion of the prosecution's supplementary investigation powers in the wake of this incident.
"We will conduct a swift and thorough investigation into every issue raised in this case, leaving no room for doubt," Yoo promised. "Through investigations and internal audits, we will ensure that those responsible for this incident are punished to the fullest extent permitted by law and regulations."
Furthermore, he announced that he would "swiftly and rigorously address the problems exposed by this case" and examine the overall investigation system through a newly formed Police Investigation Reform Task Force (TF).
He also stated that an internal corruption investigation unit directly under the National Office of Investigation would be established immediately, adding, "We will investigate misconduct or corrupt activities in police investigations nationwide more thoroughly and take decisive action."
"We will listen more attentively to the voices of victims during the police investigation process and firmly establish democratic control with citizen participation," Yoo said. "The police will look only toward the people and innovate our investigations to regain public trust."
He continued, "We will supplement procedural shortcomings and design comprehensive institutional improvements to ensure that police investigations are more faithful and fair, and we will report these measures to the public in the near future."
Yoo concluded his remarks by saying, "Every member of the police force will keep in mind that our investigative authority is entrusted to us by the people, and we will fulfill our given responsibilities."
Acting Commissioner General Yoo, who was on a business trip to the United States to attend the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS), returned home early this morning, one day ahead of his original schedule.
Upon arriving at Incheon Airport, he apologized once again, stating, "I am deeply sorry for causing concern to the public."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.