A court ruling has determined that it is unfair for the Central Police Academy to expel new police trainees due to a prostitution allegation that occurred prior to their enrollment.
According to the legal community on the 5th, the Cheongju District Court Administrative Division 1 (Director General Kim Seong-ryul) recently ruled in favor of plaintiff A in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the expulsion from the Central Police Academy.
A passed the police exam in 2023 and enrolled in the Central Police Academy. However, it was belatedly revealed that he had been under investigation for a violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Abuse (prostitution) dating back to a year prior. The Central Police Academy received a notification from the competent police station and expelled A in December of the same year, citing a breach of duty that tarnished the academy's reputation.
However, A filed a lawsuit, stating, "There is no fact of the crime." He asserted, "Even if the allegation is recognized, it is concerning an incident that occurred before my enrollment, not something that caused a problem while I was a trainee."
The court sided with A. The court stated, "The regulations apply to misconduct occurring during the time someone holds trainee status," and ruled that "using actions prior to enrollment as grounds for punishment excessively expands the scope of the target."
A was also acquitted in the criminal trial. He was declared innocent in both the first and second trials that took place during the lawsuit related to his expulsion.