Acting Police Commissioner General Apologizes to Family of Deceased Gwangju High School Student, Vows Strict Punishment for Responsible Officers

Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, issued a public apology today (July 10) regarding the controversy over poor investigation and collusion allegations surrounding the "Jang Yoon-gi case."

During a nationwide police leadership video conference held this morning, Acting Commissioner General Yoo stated, "It is a devastating situation 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, "I am 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 unbearable pain once again," and added, "I am also deeply sorry for causing disappointment to the public."

Yoo bowed his head repeatedly as public distrust in the police has grown, with calls for strengthening the prosecution's supplementary investigation powers gaining momentum in the wake of this incident.

"We will conduct a swift and thorough investigation into all issues raised in this case, leaving no room for doubt," Yoo promised. "Through investigations and internal inspections, we will impose the maximum possible punishment allowed by law and regulations on those responsible for this incident."

Furthermore, he announced plans to examine the overall investigation system through a "Police Investigation Reform Task Force," stating, "We will swiftly and rigorously address the problems revealed in this matter."

He also announced the immediate establishment of an internal corruption investigation unit directly under the National Office of Investigation, adding, "We will more thoroughly investigate and take decisive action against any misconduct or corruption in police investigations nationwide."

"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 public and innovate our investigations to restore public trust."

He continued, "We will supplement procedural deficiencies and design comprehensive institutional improvements to ensure that police investigations are more faithful and fair, and we will report these to the public in the near future."

Acting Commissioner General 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."

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 International Airport, he apologized again, stating, "I am very sorry for causing concern to the public."

The fact that he returned to the National Police Agency and presided over the meeting less than five hours after his arrival is being interpreted as a reflection of how seriously he views the situation.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.