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The Seoul Seongdong Police Station. / Asia Today DB

Allegations that Kwon Mi-ye, former chief of the Seoul Seongdong Police Station, routinely used an emergency response official electric vehicle (EV) for her personal commute have been confirmed following an internal police investigation.

The National Police Agency (NPA) announced on June 24 that its inspection unit verified the misconduct, including the unauthorized private use of an official vehicle, and plans to refer the case to the NPA’s Central Disciplinary Committee.

According to the police, Kwon allegedly deployed the EV—originally designated for the Seongdong Police Station's initial response team—dozens of times for her daily commute. The investigation revealed that her primary motive was to bypass the "public institution vehicle day-of-the-week restriction," a government-wide energy conservation mandate limiting vehicle operations on specific days.

The EV in question is strictly reserved for initial response teams to rush to the scene during critical emergencies. The NPA determined that Kwon’s misappropriation of the vehicle for her personal commute created operational gaps within the station's emergency response readiness.

"Considering the gravity of the matter, we placed the former chief on standby on May 21," an NPA official stated. "The misconduct verified through our internal probe will be formally referred to the Central Disciplinary Committee."

Disciplinary actions for police officers are categorized into heavy and light reprimands. Heavy reprimands encompass dismissal, removal from office, demotion, and suspension, while light reprimands include salary reductions and censures. The Central Disciplinary Committee will determine the exact severity of the penalty by evaluating the full findings of the internal probe alongside the overall gravity of the offense.

Previously, President Lee Jae-myung ordered a swift internal investigation and strict accountability measures upon being briefed on the allegations following initial media reports.

                                                                                                         Seol So-young