The Korean National Police Agency has placed Kwon Mi-ye, chief of Seoul's Seongdong Police Station, on standby duty and launched an official internal investigation over allegations that she used a government-owned electric vehicle for commuting.
"Effective today, the Seongdong Police Station chief has been immediately placed on standby duty, and an official disciplinary investigation by the National Police Agency has begun," the agency said Friday. "Any misconduct confirmed during the investigation will be dealt with strictly."
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's disciplinary intelligence unit conducted interviews with Kwon on Thursday and Friday and secured dispatch records for the government electric vehicle, sources said.
Kwon is suspected of using the government-owned electric vehicle, which is exempt from the alternate-day driving system, for commuting instead of her regular command vehicle after public institutions implemented the alternate-day driving rule following the recent Middle East war. The vehicle in question was originally designated for emergency dispatch use.
The National Police Agency plans to begin formal disciplinary proceedings once the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency completes its preliminary investigation.
The agency also reissued public service ethics guidelines to police offices nationwide on the same day. Citing the national energy crisis and the ongoing local election campaign period, the agency emphasized compliance with the vehicle alternate-day driving system and the duty of political neutrality during elections.
