South Korean police inspector indicted for falsifying arrest records

A police inspector in Gyeongbuk province has been indicted for falsifying investigation records to justify the emergency arrest of a hit-and-run suspect. The Daegu District Prosecutors' Office Uiseong Branch charged the inspector with abuse of power, falsification of public electronic records, and violations of the Act on Promotion of Electronicization of Criminal Justice Procedures.

According to investigators, the suspect had voluntarily surrendered to a police substation on May 22, admitting to a fatal hit-and-run accident involving drunk driving. Despite the suspect's voluntary appearance and confession, the inspector allegedly drafted documents claiming the individual was apprehended following a pursuit in front of the substation.

The prosecution determined that the legal requirements for an emergency arrest—such as the risk of flight or destruction of evidence—were not met because the suspect had already surrendered. The prosecution initially blocked the arrest and ordered the suspect's release after finding the arrest circumstances unclear. A prosecution citizen committee voted unanimously in favor of indictment. The driver involved in the fatal accident has also been indicted without detention.