Current Police Officers Arrested for Accepting Hundreds of Millions in Bribes to Cover Up Illegal Establishments

Two current police officers have been arrested for accepting bribes ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of won in exchange for covering up illegal establishments such as adult arcades and brothels.

On the 12th, the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Department (Chief Prosecutor Park Cheol) stated that Officer A (45) has been arrested and indicted on charges of accepting bribes, while Officer B (46) was arrested and indicted on charges of violating the law on aggravated punishment for specific crimes (bribery).

Among the business owners indicted alongside them, C (50), who operates a brothel, has been arrested and indicted for bribery, while D (49), who operates an arcade, has been indicted without detention on the same charge.

According to the prosecutors' investigation, Officer A, who was working at a police station in Daegu, is suspected of having received bribes totaling 23.9 million won from D in exchange for providing information about enforcement actions for about seven months starting in September 2019.

Officer B, who was working at a police station in North Gyeongsang Province, is also suspected of having received material rewards of 63.86 million won and 100.96 million won from operators C and D, respectively, for providing enforcement information during the same period.

Collusion Between Police and Business Owners: Maintaining Close Relations with 'Brother' and 'Younger Brother' Titles

Even more shocking is the close relationship between these police officers and the business owners.

According to the prosecutor's investigation, they were found to have been very close, going beyond simple bribery transactions.

They referred to each other as "brother" and "younger brother," traveled together abroad, and shared hobbies such as water skiing and golf, forming a deep connection.

In particular, in the case of Officer B, evidence was found that he actively supported business owner D when D was brought to trial for violating the Game Industry Promotion Act, including submitting a petition to the court. This can be seen as a serious breach of public authority due to private relationships, going beyond simple monetary benefits.

Before arresting them, the prosecution conducted searches to secure relevant evidence, and the Daegu Gyeongbuk Police Agency has taken measures to suspend the officers from duty.

This incident is a case in which the corruption of police officers responsible for law enforcement has come to light, underscoring the need for strengthening the internal inspection system and ethical awareness within the police.

This incident is part of the prosecution's anti-corruption investigation aimed at preventing police corruption and establishing public discipline, and it is known that there may be an expansion of investigations into similar corrupt activities in the future.

A police agency official stated, "We will deal sternly with the incident and strengthen the internal inspection system to prevent recurrence."

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