59 officers caught leaking internal information over past 5 years
25 dismissed, 23 face major disciplinary action, 11 receive minor penalties
The Jang Yun-gi case has put a spotlight on the leaking of police investigation secrets, with data showing that 25 officers were dismissed from the force over the past five-plus years for leaking sensitive investigation or enforcement information to outsiders.
According to data submitted Friday by the Korean National Police Agency to the office of Rep. Yun Geon-yeong of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, 59 officers were disciplined for "violating the duty of confidentiality — leaking or disclosing sensitive investigation and enforcement information" over the five-and-a-half years from 2021 through June this year.
Of those, 25 — or 42 percent — were dismissed or removed from office, losing their positions on the force. Eighteen were dismissed and seven were removed from office. Dismissal bars reinstatement for three years, while removal from office carries a five-year bar and also results in reduced retirement benefits. Twelve officers received demotions, a major disciplinary measure, and 11 were suspended for one to three months. Four officers received pay cuts of one to three months, and seven received reprimands.
Over the same period, a total of 333 officers were disciplined for duty-related corruption, a category that included leaking investigation information as well as accepting bribes or entertainment.
Among senior officers, one senior superintendent general attached to the Korean National Police Agency was removed from office in 2024 for violating integrity obligations. Two senior superintendents were also disciplined for integrity violations — one attached to the agency was removed from office this year, while another from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency received a two-month suspension in 2024. Among superintendent-level officers, 19 were disciplined: 17 for integrity violations and two for breaching confidentiality obligations.
Breaking down the figures by rank, the disciplined officers included one senior superintendent general, two senior superintendents, 19 superintendents, 42 inspectors, 120 senior police officers, 112 police officers, 23 police sergeants, 12 police corporals and two police constables.
By type of misconduct, accepting bribes or entertainment was the most common ground for discipline, accounting for 140 officers. Fraudulent claims for overtime pay or travel expenses accounted for 117 cases, while leaking or disclosing investigation and enforcement information accounted for 59. Fourteen officers were disciplined for embezzling or misappropriating public funds, and three for carrying out duties in response to improper requests.
The Korean National Police Agency had previously announced that, in the wake of the Jang Yun-gi case, it was taking strong measures against officers who leaked investigation information — including removing them from their duties and expelling them from investigative units. The agency also plans to strengthen internal controls by codifying in its directives a ban on officers inquiring about cases with one another.
Police and prosecutors are investigating allegations that an officer handling the case kept a senior police official surnamed Jang — the father of killer Jang Yun-gi and an active-duty police commander — informed of the investigation's progress and helped destroy evidence.
arin@heraldcorp.com
