Court suspends penalty on police superintendent who led meeting against interior ministry's police bureau

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul Administrative Court on Friday halted the suspension slapped on a police superintendent for organizing a police meeting against the interior ministry's plan to establish a police oversight bureau last year.

Ryu Sam-young was suspended from his job for three months from Dec. 13 for leading a meeting of about 50 senior police officers nationwide in July in a show of protest against the planned establishment of the police bureau within the interior ministry. The bureau, which oversees overall police organization, set sail the following month, despite fierce opposition from the police.

He then filed for a lawsuit seeking the revocation of disciplinary action by the National Police Agency and a separate petition to temporarily halt the efficacy of the measure until a court decision is made, claiming he has no reason to be disciplined.

On Friday, the court said there was an urgent need to prevent him from sustaining financially uncompensable damage from the disciplinary measure, whose illegality is still in dispute, as it made him unable to carry out his duty as a police superintendent.

But the decision is widely viewed as meaningless, since it came only three days before the three-month suspension expires Monday.

Ryu said he appreciates the decision even though it may not bring any practical gains.

jwc@yna.co.kr
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