There are 45 cases nationwide in which the families of incumbent police officers are involved as suspects or alleged suspects.
Spurred by the "Jang Yungi case," a "recusal system" (相避制) under which cases involving police officers' families are investigated by another police agency is set to take effect starting next month, but critics say it is a belated response, given that police family cases had not even been tracked separately before.
According to materials obtained by Rep. Jeong Chun-saeng of the Public Administration and Security Committee from the Korean National Police Agency on the 9th, police are reviewing the scope of the recusal system, reporting procedures, and transfer criteria by analyzing 117 "family cases" found in a full inspection conducted last month.
By the status of those involved, there were 45 cases in which family members were suspects or alleged suspects, and 72 cases in which they were victims, complainants, accusers, or petitioners.
By family relationship, there were ▲ 47 cases involving lineal ascendants ▲ 37 cases involving lineal descendants ▲ 33 cases involving spouses, in that order.
Most family cases were assigned to frontline police stations in the corresponding regions (111 cases), and six cases were handled by city and provincial police agencies. Only one case was investigated by prosecutors.
In addition, 44 cases were transferred or are scheduled to be transferred to other police agencies, and 15 cases are under additional review for possible transfer. There were 32 cases that were concluded or in the conclusion stage, and 26 cases were not transferred due to a lack of concern over compromised fairness.
Police also said that they do not separately track "cases in which an officer handled or intervened in matters involving themselves, relatives, or acquaintances and was subject to internal inspection."
If the case handler does not voluntarily request disqualification or recusal when a police officer's family case arises, or if the management process does not catch it, it is effectively difficult to identify.
Over the past six years and six months, police have logged 77 disqualification or recusal cases, fewer than the 117 family cases identified in the recent full inspection that examined family cases separately.
Police plan to introduce the recusal system to transfer family cases to other stations in early September, saying they will first implement it through internal guidelines and then establish a legal basis.