Gyeonggi Province Special Prosecutorial Police's Top Achievement...Two Years in a Row: "Crackdown on Illegal Use of Streams and Valleys"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province residents have rated the crackdown on illegal use of streams and valleys as the top achievement of the 'Gyeonggi Province Special Prosecutorial Police Unit (hereinafter Special Police)' for two consecutive years, according to a survey.

As a result of a survey conducted by Gyeonggi Province from the 21st to the 25th of last month targeting 1,000 residents aged 18 and older regarding the 'performance of enforcement activities by the Gyeonggi Province Special Prosecutorial Police Unit,' the highest proportion of respondents at 23% selected 'crackdown on illegal use of streams and valleys' as the special police enforcement field with the highest achievements this year. The crackdown on illegal river activities ranked first at 21% in a survey conducted in September of last year.

Since June of last year, the province has implemented a 'Clean Valley and Stream Restoration Project,' detecting 11,690 illegal facilities operated by 1,596 businesses across 204 streams and valleys in the province, removing 11,593 facilities, and currently showing a 99.2% recovery rate.

Following this, ▲Environmental pollution crackdown (16%) ▲Food crime crackdown (13%) and others were confirmed as 'high-performance areas.'

Meanwhile, 'areas requiring expanded enforcement' were confirmed to be ▲Environmental pollution crackdown (24%) ▲Real estate crackdown (14%) ▲Food crime crackdown (13%), etc.

Through cross-analysis of special police enforcement fields into 'performance areas' and 'areas requiring expansion,' priority enforcement areas going forward were confirmed to be ▲Real estate ▲Environmental pollution ▲Food crime, etc. In particular, the need for strengthened enforcement against illegal real estate practices such as price fixing and fraudulent subscriptions has increased compared to last year.

In overall evaluations of special police activities, most residents provided positive assessments.

First, 65% of residents evaluated the special police activities as 'doing well,' and 88% of residents responded that 'special police activities will help create a safe residential environment for residents and fair Gyeonggi Province.' Regarding further expansion and strengthening of special police activities in the future, 85% of residents answered that they 'support' it.

Regarding the disclosure of special police statistics on crime occurrence and criminal status and other civil crime data, 89% of residents responded that it 'would be helpful.'

Regarding maritime illegal activity investigations being pursued to create clean Gyeonggi Province waters, the response 'that was a good decision' was overwhelmingly high at 93%.

Regarding special police activities, 40% of residents reported having heard about them, and the most frequently heard enforcement activity was 'crackdown on illegal use of streams, valleys, and other areas' (77%).

Meanwhile, since the start of the 7th popularly elected administration, Gyeonggi Province has significantly expanded the special police organization and personnel, expanded and strengthened enforcement areas, and holds investigative authority over 108 laws—the most among the 14 metropolitan autonomous entities in the country.

In-chi-kwon, Chief of the Civil Affairs Special Prosecutorial Police Unit, stated, "This survey well reflects residents' positive evaluation of Gyeonggi Province Special Police activities and efforts," and added, "To create a safer and more equitable society, we will further strengthen enforcement in areas where residents show high interest."

This survey was conducted by Gyeonggi Province through Korea Research Inc., a polling organization, using telephone interview survey methods, with a confidence level of 95% and a sampling error of ±3.10%p.