Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency Launches Inspection Over Initial Investigation Into Icheon Vehicle Attack

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency has launched an inspection into allegations of a botched initial investigation regarding a vehicle attack that occurred late at night in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province.

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency announced on October 7 that it is inspecting whether the initial investigation conducted by the violent crimes unit of the Icheon Police Station was appropriate.

Previously, on July 29 at 11:40 PM, an incident occurred on a road in Haewol-ri, Majang-myeon, Icheon, where two men presumed to be foreigners blocked and threatened a passenger car carrying a man in his 30s and a companion.

The victim reported the case to the police two days later, but the police failed to identify the suspects for nearly two months, eventually classifying the case as unaligned/unsolved in mid-September.

It was found that in the early stages of the investigation, the police failed to check whether dashboard cameras were installed in parked vehicles around the scene, and also halted CCTV tracking along the suspected escape routes of the suspect vehicle in certain sections.

Amid growing criticism raised by media outlets and political circles regarding the investigation process on September 21, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency reviewed the unsolved case reported by the Icheon Police Station on the same day and concluded that further verification was necessary.

Subsequently, the investigation was resumed on the same day under the instruction of the head of the Icheon Police Station.

The inspection is currently targeting the single investigator originally assigned to the case. Authorities are reviewing investigation materials to determine whether the initial steps, such as checking the scope of CCTV footage, were conducted properly.

Typically, if official negligence such as inappropriate case handling or insufficient tracking is confirmed through an inspection, disciplinary actions ranging from warnings or reprimands to pay cuts can be issued depending on the severity of the matter.

An official from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency stated, "As the investigation into this case is still ongoing, we are focusing our review on existing investigation materials so as not to impact the ongoing probe," adding, "Whether to inspect supervisory officials will be decided based on the future course of the investigation."

(Photo provided by Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.