May 21 - The NHRCK decided to prosecute two police officers, who caused a suspect’s death by covering his mouth with a gag in an attempt to stop a disturbance.
The NHRCK will issue a recommendation, calling on the Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) to establish measurements and strengthen training to prevent recurrences of these types of accidents. Regarding the Commissioner-General of the regional police agency that was responsible for not taking proper action to prevent the accident, the NHRCK recommends calling on the supervisory provincial police agency to issue a warning.
According to the inspection conducted by the NHRCK, the two police officers seized the suspect, identified as Mr. Kim, and ordered him not to move. Then one officer covered his mouth with a gag, while the other pressed down on his mouth with another gag. The NHRCK said, “A healthy adult would feel as if their life was being threatened if his or her airway was obstructed for 1 or 2 minutes. The police officers covered Kim’s mouth for 3 minutes and 37 seconds with two gags.”
The police officers explained that they put the gags on to prevent Kim’s self-injury. However, the NHRCK said, “Kim asked the police officers that he wanted to go to the bathroom several times, after he was taken to the police station. Also, there is no wound in Kim’s mouth, meaning Kim did not intend to hurt himself, he was only trying to explain that he had to go to the bathroom.”
The NHRCK also pointed out that after Kim lost consciousness, the police officers didn’t take any emergency measures while waiting for an ambulance.
The NHRCK added, “The action of police officers was not intended to cause the suspect to die. However, considering that police officers’ fundamental duty is to protect citizens’ life and property, the officers should be charged with professional negligence resulting in death.”
