Police Investigate Senior Superintendent General Amid Allegations Surrounding 'Geoje King'

It has been confirmed that police investigating the various allegations of corruption against a regional police official known as the "Geoje King" have also launched an investigation into a high-ranking current superintendent general. Additionally, a formal criminal investigation has been initiated into allegations of sexual misconduct against junior female police officers.

SBS reporter Son Gijun has this exclusive report.



Despite being deemed "unqualified" due to suspicions of local collusion during a National Police Agency qualification screening in 2023, Inspector A was nevertheless appointed to the position he wanted as the head of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency's metropolitan intelligence team in February of the following year.

Even after unleashing verbal abuse and threats against the screening committee members at the time, no issue was raised, and he instead secured a promotion.

According to SBS reporting, the National Police Agency inspection team investigating the related allegations recently questioned Kim Byeong-woo, the current Daegu Police Agency chief and former Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency chief at the time, regarding the circumstances of Inspector A's appointment.

In a phone call with SBS, Superintendent General Kim stated, "I told the inspection team exactly what happened," adding that "Inspector A was the only applicant at the time, and there were no other qualified candidates."

He also added that because Geoje is densely packed with shipyards and frequent labor-management disputes, "there was a burden in leaving that position vacant."

At the same time, regarding the SBS report that Inspector A used abusive language toward the screening committee members and pressured people around him not to apply for the metropolitan intelligence team position, he stated, "I was not aware of such details at the time," and "I am not even acquainted with Inspector A."

However, a police official who participated in the screening at the time stated, "There were many instances where high-ranking officials from the former Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency and the National Police Agency contacted the National Police Agency with the intent to 'rescue' him."

The National Police Agency inspection team is not ruling out the possibility that ties with so-called higher-ups may have played a role in allowing Inspector A to continuously work in key regional positions despite committing various forms of misconduct over a long period.

It has been confirmed that the National Police Agency officially converted its internal inspection into a criminal investigation starting yesterday (July 30) regarding allegations of sexual misconduct committed by Inspector A against junior female police officers.

(Video Editing: Shin Se-eun, Design: Park Cheon-woong)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.