Police Launch Special Investigation Team for 'Saekdongwon Disabled Sexual Violence'... Thorough Investigation for All

The police are deploying a massive special investigation team to uncover the unprecedented allegations of group sexual violence against disabled women that occurred at 'Saekdongwon', a residential facility for severely disabled individuals in Incheon, Ganghwa-do.

The National Police Agency announced on the 1st that, following the urgent directive from the Prime Minister, it has established the 'Saekdongwon Incident Special Investigation Team' within the Seoul Police Agency on the 31st of last month and has commenced a full-scale investigation. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the head of the Seoul Police Agency's Living Safety and Traffic Department has been appointed as the team leader, and the team is composed of a large organisation of 74 members, including 27 investigators and 47 personnel dedicated to investigating disabilities.

The special team also includes police officers from 10 sunflower centres across the country and external experts from sexual violence counselling centres. The aim is to secure more precise statements from severely disabled victims who have communication difficulties, while also providing victim protection and psychological support. A police official emphasised, "We will swiftly and rigorously investigate not only the allegations of sexual violence and abuse but also the overall operation of the facility, including subsidy misappropriation."

This action reflects the government's strong will. Earlier, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok urgently directed on the 30th of last month, "Establish a joint task force (TF) led by the Prime Minister's Office to thoroughly uncover the truth."

Currently, the key focus of the police investigation is the alleged immoral acts of the facility head, Mr. A. According to the 'In-depth Investigation Report on Residents' submitted by Incheon Ganghwa County, it is reported that specific statements have been included from all 17 female disabled residents of the facility and 2 who have already left, indicating that a total of 19 individuals have been victims of sexual assault by the facility head, causing public outrage.

The government and police plan to reveal the reality of human rights violations within the facility through this investigation, while also focusing on thoroughly examining the fundamental flaws in the management system of residential facilities for disabled individuals.