"Must Go Through 'King of Geoje' to Get Promoted"... Allegations of "Personnel Interference" Also Raised

[Anchor]

We reported exclusively yesterday (July 23) that a senior police officer who has worked near Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, for over 30 years is under intensive inspection over allegations including the sexual harassment of junior female 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 rumors openly circulated within the police force that one had to go through this officer to secure a promotion.

This is an exclusive report by reporter Bae Seong-jae.

[Reporter]

Senior Superintendent A has been placed under inspection by the National Police Agency on charges including the sexual harassment of more than 10 junior female officers at drinking gatherings over several years.

Testimonies are pouring in that such misconduct was possible because he leveraged the connections and influence he built up while working exclusively as an intelligence police officer and in other roles near Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, for over 30 years, interfering in local police personnel matters regardless of whether officers were superiors or subordinates.

[Local Police Official B: He would make requests to his personal connections, saying things like, "Let's make this person our chief this time." He has been doing this continuously for the past few years, to the point where he was practically treated like a 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 inappropriate personnel interference by Senior Superintendent A and is currently investigating.

A local police officer told SBS, "It is an unwritten rule that you cannot get promoted at the Geoje Police Station without going through Senior Superintendent A," adding, "If the inspection is conducted properly, personnel-related corruption will come tumbling out like a string of dried pollock."

Most of those who made candidates for special promotion or screening for promotion to senior inspector in recent years had either worked with Senior Superintendent A or maintained close ties with him.

Multiple police sources testified to SBS that there was even a case where a staff member who worked in the same department as Senior Superintendent A skipped ahead of seniors who were 4 to 5 years ahead of them to receive a special promotion, thanks to Senior Superintendent A's backing.

It is also known that the inspection team is verifying tips that he received money and valuables from junior police officers along with requests for promotions.

[Local Police Official C: I heard stories that there was a price tag, saying you had to pay about 50 million won to get promoted to senior inspector, and another amount to get promoted to inspector.]

If the allegations of inappropriate personnel interference, following years of sexual misconduct charges, are proven true, the fallout is expected to grow even larger as it is likely to lead to a full-scale investigation.

(Video Editing: Park Na-young, Design: Han Song-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.