Jang Yun-gi, 23, faces charges of killing a high school student in Gwangju after an attempted sexual assault. Allegations have emerged that his father, an active-duty police officer, concealed evidence of his son's crimes with the help of fellow officers, stirring controversy. [Yonhap]
Jang Yun-gi, 23, faces charges of killing a high school student in Gwangju after an attempted sexual assault. Allegations have emerged that his father, an active-duty police officer, concealed evidence of his son's crimes with the help of fellow officers, stirring controversy. [Yonhap]

The Korean National Police Agency has identified 117 active cases involving family members of police officers as part of a sweeping internal audit aimed at rooting out corruption, ordering 44 of them transferred to other jurisdictions over impartiality concerns.

The agency said Tuesday it conducted the audit from July 10 to July 22, finding 117 cases in which a suspect or related party had a spouse or direct-line relative serving as an officer at the station handling the investigation. Of those, 44 were transferred to provincial police agencies or other stations to ensure fair handling. The agency added that the remaining cases would be reviewed monthly to assess whether investigations are being conducted appropriately.

The audit examined whether any ongoing investigations or pre-indictment inquiries were being handled at stations where a party to the case had a close family member on the force, and assessed whether those cases were being managed properly.

The review was prompted by allegations that police systematically downplayed charges against Jang Yun-gi, the son of an active-duty officer, who is accused of killing a high school student in Gwangju after an attempted sexual assault.

The agency said it plans to establish a permanent monitoring system for cases involving officers' family members, based on the audit's findings, and to strengthen internal conflict-of-interest safeguards within the force.


arin@heraldcorp.com