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Court Upholds Demotion of Police Chief Who Drove Drunk
🇰🇷 South Korea /Crime & Justice

Court Upholds Demotion of Police Chief Who Drove Drunk

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Seoul Administrative Court upheld the demotion of a police superintendent who drove drunk and received a 7 million won summary fine.
  • The court said stricter disciplinary standards for police officers are justified because they enforce drunk-driving laws and must maintain public trust.
  • The officer argued that demotion for a first offense with a blood alcohol level of at least 0.08% was excessive, but the court rejected his claim.

A senior South Korean police officer who said demotion was too harsh after a drunk-driving offense has lost his challenge in court.

The Seoul Administrative Court’s Administrative Division 10 ruled against the superintendent, identified as A, in a lawsuit against the national police chief. The court issued its decision on Aug. 26, according to legal sources cited on Sept. 1.

Police officers are more open to criticism for drunk driving than other public officials because they are responsible for enforcing drunk-driving laws.

— Seoul Administrative CourtThe court explained why stricter disciplinary standards for police officers were justified.

A, who worked at a regional police agency, drove about 14 kilometers from roads in Seoul’s Seongdong district to Dorimcheon-ro in Yeongdeungpo district. Police recorded his blood alcohol level at 0.085%, a level subject to license cancellation. He also received a 7 million won summary fine.

The National Police Agency’s Central Disciplinary Committee found grounds for punishment under the State Public Officials Act and decided to demote him. The police chief then carried out the disciplinary action.

A argued that police disciplinary rules were unfair because they require dismissal or demotion for a first drunk-driving offense involving a blood alcohol level of at least 0.08%. He said the standard was harsher than the rules applied to other public officials.

There is a strong need to prevent continuing cases of drunk driving by police officers and restore public trust in the police through enhanced discipline.

— Seoul Administrative CourtThe court described the public-interest rationale for the demotion.

The court disagreed. It said the standard had been revised in 2024 to increase deterrence among police officers. Because police officers enforce drunk-driving laws, the court found that their conduct carries a greater degree of blame than similar conduct by other public officials. It also said strict punishment could help prevent repeated offenses and restore public confidence.

The judges said A’s position as a superintendent, an important leader within the police organization, required a higher level of legal awareness. The reasons he presented did not make the demotion excessive or unlawful.

A higher level of legal awareness is required of A, who held the position of superintendent, an important leader within the police organization.

— Seoul Administrative CourtThe court cited the officer’s rank when rejecting his argument that the punishment was excessive.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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