Go to contents

Police bribe local residents opposing power tower construction

Police bribe local residents opposing power tower construction

Posted September. 13, 2014 03:17,   

한국어

During the Chuseok holidays, local policemen reportedly provided envelopes containing 1 million up to 5 million won (approximately 1 thousand to 5 thousand USD) to senior residents of Cheong-do in North Gyeongsang Province who are against power tower construction. On the front of the envelopes, ‘Chief of Cheongdo Police, Lee Hyeon-hee’ was printed. The total amount of money was 1.6 million won (around 1,600 USD). The police chief Lee reportedly asked the head of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province Construction Office in Korean electric power corporation (KEPCO) to provide money for compensation of the local residents and gave the money envelopes under his name. It is hard to understand why police chief asks for money from KEPCO, and it is more surprising that police chief gave bribery to local residents under his name. Is ‘money errands’ included in the duty of police? If it is, since when?

KEPCO finished foundation work for power transmission tower No. 23 in Sampyeong 1 Ri of Cheongdo, but the electricity corporation had to suspend the construction for 2 years due to strong opposition of local residents. Only in the early morning of July 21, KEPCO resumed construction after tearing down a watchtower built by residents and civic activists to interrupt construction. The bribery envelop issue broke out while the Power Tower Opposition Joint Committee and 20~50 local residents have been protesting since July. What police needs to do is to exercise the governmental authority based on law and principle to address the construction interruption activities. Even if it is valid to compensate, compensation must be provided within the boundaries of principle and law. It is not a matter that requires police to step in. After seeing such softness of the police, which needs to exercise the authority in strict and firm manners, more and more local residents will ask for bribery whenever large-scale government project needs to be done.

Chief Lee also received 1 million won (approximately 1 thousand USD) from KEPCO on Sep. 2 and gave it as compensation to a female senior who got injured during the protest. Lee explained that he received KEPCO money as the granny pleaded that she needed money for medical treatment. But police is not a money messenger of KEPCO. Chief Lee and KEPCO local office head were released from their positions because of this case. Still, the case needs further investigation. Everything must be clarified transparently, including how KEPCO prepared the money for what purpose and how police received the money from KEPCO.

In the protest against power towers, not only local residents but also civic activists are involved to make it more complicated to resolve the issue. Building a power plant does not mean supply of electricity. Power towers are needed to transmit power generated from a plant to factories and households. Civic activists may not turn on lights at home, but they can’t say they never take subways. Civic activists’ agitation to oppose power tower construction is the ultimate deviation from the right path they should take.