"Must Go Through 'Geoje King' to Get Promoted"... Allegations of Personnel Intervention Also Surface

[Anchor]

A senior police officer, who is accused of sexually harassing junior female police officers while being called the so-called "Geoje King," has been confirmed to be involved in allegations of interfering with personnel appointments. Testimony has openly circulated that one must go through this officer to get promoted, and circumstances suggesting that he received money and valuables in return have also been captured.

Reporter Bae Seong-jae.

[Reporter]

Senior Superintendent A has been placed under inspection by the Korean National Police Agency on charges including the sexual harassment of 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 network and influence built over working as an intelligence police officer for more than 30 years in areas near Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, intervening in local police personnel matters regardless of whether they were superiors or subordinates.

[Local Police Official B: He would make requests to his personal connections, saying things like, "Let's make so-and-so our police station chief this time." For the past few years, he has continued to act almost like he is the president.]

According to SBS coverage, the Audit and Inspection Division of the Korean National Police Agency, which launched an inspection early this month, has also confirmed and is investigating circumstances pointing to A's inappropriate intervention in personnel affairs.

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 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 have been candidates for special promotions or promotion reviews at the inspector level in recent years had worked with Senior Superintendent A or were close to him.

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

It is reported that the inspection team is also verifying a tip that A 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 inspector, and pay some other amount to get promoted to senior inspector.]

If the allegations of inappropriate personnel intervention, following years of sexual misconduct charges, turn out to be 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.