A report by Amnesty International claims that South Korea's police used excessive force against peaceful demonstrators during recent protests.
The human rights group says some detainees were subject to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment.
The report paints a picture of a police force mostly well organised, but at times failing to show proper restraint.
The South Korean police have strongly rejected the claims, pointing out that many officers were themselves injured.
Over recent months there have been regular protests against the decision to resume imports of American beef.
Broken bones
The Amnesty investigation gives examples of what it calls an excessive use of force by the South Korean authorities.
They include a female office worker hospitalised after being repeatedly kicked, and a 14-year-old boy struck on the back of the head with a riot shield while running away.
The police are alleged to have misused water cannons, causing serious injuries such as blindness, broken bones and concussion.
They are also accused of making arbitrary arrests and denying medical care to those detained.
But the national police agency which gave the Amnesty researchers access behind police lines during the disturbances claims that the report by the rights group is unfair.
It says its officers, more than 460 of whom were wounded, showed patience and restraint under severe pressure.
A spokesperson for Amnesty International acknowledged that the ranks of riot police, largely made up of young conscripts, faced a difficult and stressful situation struggling to contain a surging, sometimes violent crowd.
But the group has called on the South Korean government to investigate and ensure accountability for any officers who broke the law.
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