A Seoul court upheld a one-month salary reduction [3] for a police officer who studied for law school during work hours.
The ruling reinforces the standards of professional conduct within the South Korean police force, signaling that academic pursuits cannot supersede official duties.
The officer, identified as A, worked at a Seoul precinct where supervisors alleged he neglected his responsibilities between August and November 2024 [1]. According to the dossier, A spent work hours studying for law school entrance exams, sleeping, and using his phone.
Disciplinary action followed an incident where A verbally challenged his team leader, a police sergeant. The confrontation, which lasted approximately 45 minutes [2], involved A raising his voice and questioning the sergeant's authority.
During the dispute, A told the sergeant, "If you are so good at it, fix it yourself," and added, "Stop harassing me with personal feelings and just do the approvals, the approvals," according to reports from YTN News.
A subsequently filed a lawsuit to overturn the disciplinary measure, arguing against the one-month salary reduction [3]. However, the court rejected the plea. The presiding judge said the disciplinary action was justified.
The court's decision emphasizes that the officer's behavior constituted both work neglect and insubordination. The combination of using official time for private study and the prolonged verbal altercation with a superior led to the final judgment.
“"Stop harassing me with personal feelings and just do the approvals, the approvals,"”
This ruling establishes a legal precedent regarding the boundaries between personal development and professional obligations for civil servants in South Korea. By upholding the penalty, the court has affirmed that insubordination and the misappropriation of work hours for private study are valid grounds for financial discipline, regardless of the officer's intent to improve their legal qualifications.
