Civic groups file complaint against police officers over alleged assault of protesters

A coalition of civic and labor groups has filed a criminal complaint against two police officers attached to the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul, alleging they used excessive force against protest participants.

Five organizations — including the labor committee and assembly-monitoring unit of Minbyun (Lawyers for a Democratic Society) and the Culture and Arts Labor Solidarity — filed the complaint Tuesday morning at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, accusing the two Yongsan officers of abuse of authority involving assault and assault causing bodily injury, according to Yonhap.

The groups alleged that activist Cha Heon-ho, arrested during a rally on April 15 calling for the reinstatement of teacher Ji Hye-bok — dismissed after raising allegations of sexual violence on campus — was assaulted while held at the Yongsan Police Station detention facility.

According to the groups, when Cha told officers he would walk voluntarily to the interrogation room without handcuffs, investigator A twisted his arm, knocked him to the floor and handcuffed him, then struck his thigh with a knee during the transfer.

The Yongsan Police Station's audit and human rights office said the officers' actions were lawful, citing concerns about flight risk and potential harm because Cha had refused to provide his personal information at the time.

The groups also took issue with arrests made during a protest in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 3, held in connection with "Broadcasting Day" events.

They alleged that a police officer from the Wonhyo district unit grabbed Korean Metal Workers' Union Kia chapter member Kim Nam-gyu from behind by the neck, knocked him to the ground and pressed a knee against his neck and shoulder as Kim tried to dissuade officers from making an arrest.

Yongsan Police Station arrested 12 protest participants in front of the Broadcasting Day ceremony venue on charges including failure to comply with a dispersal order and obstruction of business.

"All the victims were workers, and the officers involved came from the security, investigation and district units," the groups said. "Unlawful conduct repeated across divisions points to a structural problem within the station."

The groups also said they would call on the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to conduct a special inspection of Yongsan Police Station and to establish measures to prevent the recurrence of high-risk use of force.