The police acknowledged that they were responsible for inadequate personnel management during the incident at the Seoul Western District Court, and they decided to issue an official warning to three individuals, including the head of the Mapo Police Station.
According to the 'police inspection report on the Western District Court incident' submitted to Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Boo-nam on the 17th, the Korean National Police Agency concluded that the head of the Mapo Police Station and the chief of security and information at the Mapo Police Station were inadequate in their personnel management.
An official warning is a disciplinary measure that does not constitute a penalty as defined by law. However, within the police organization, individuals will receive disadvantages in personnel matters, such as point deductions for rewards.
The Korean National Police Agency viewed that they failed to minimize defensive measures by only formally managing the barricades at the back gate of the court, allowing the protesters to continue to gather. They also analyzed that directing shift work during a vulnerable time shortly before the issuance of a warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol led to a shortage of personnel.
In addition, it was deemed that there was insufficient preparation for unexpected actions, such as not wearing protective gear in a timely manner against actions like throwing objects or intrusion by the protesters.
However, the Korean National Police Agency stated that "the omission of personnel blocking the main entrance after the report of the warrant issuance for (President Yoon) around 3 a.m. was to reorganize for personnel safety," and it added that it is hard to view this as the police having facilitated the intrusion by the protesters.
Earlier, supporters of President Yoon broke through police barricades at the Western District Court and entered the court after learning that a warrant for his arrest had been issued in the early hours of the 19th of last month, searching for the judge who issued the arrest warrant and damaging glass and various items.
The police stated that they have investigated 125 individuals so far in connection with the Western District Court incident. Among them, 74 have been arrested, while the remaining 51 are under investigation without detention. Of those arrested, 70 individuals have been transferred to the prosecution. The police plan to transfer the remaining four individuals in turn.