Accelerate the investigation of the top line responsible for the disaster
Kim Kwang-ho, mayor of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will be called once more
Lee Im-jae, former chief of the Yongsan Police Station, who is suspected of failing to respond to the ‘Itaewon Halloween disaster’, leaves the Seoul Western District Court following being interrogated on the 5th before arrest. Reporter Seong Dong-hoon
The Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Edition) of the National Police Agency, which is investigating the government and local governments’ poor response to the ‘Itaewon Halloween Disaster’, booked three additional people, including the head of the Yongsan-gu health center, the head of the Seoul Transportation Corporation’s Dongmyo business office, and the head of the 112 situation team at the Yongsan Police Station. did. The special edition is also reviewing applications for additional arrest warrants for the main suspects.
The special version said on the 5th, “Choi Jae-won, head of the Yongsan-gu public health center, was booked on charges of creating false official documents and accompanying him, and Lee Kwon-soo, head of Seoul Transportation Corporation’s Dongmyo sales office and Yongsan-seo 112 situation team leader, were booked on charges of negligence and accidental death.” As a result, the number of people arrested in the special edition increased to 21.
Director Choi arrived at the site at 0:09 on October 30, 1 hour and 54 minutes following the Itaewon disaster. Nevertheless, the ward office’s internal report document is suspected of falsely stating that the rescue command was conducted immediately following arriving at the scene around 11:30 pm on October 29th.
Director Choi arrived at the site at around 11:30 pm on October 29, but was reported to have returned to the Yongsan-gu Office and stayed there for 40 minutes, citing the fact that access to the site was difficult due to the large number of people. An official from the special edition said, “There is a difference between the known movement of Director Choi and the actual movement.”
Dongmyo Office Manager Lee is suspected of not following his superior’s order before the disaster to review the non-stop passage through Itaewon Station on the day of the disaster.
According to the special edition, regarding 10,000 people got off at Itaewon Station per hour for 4 hours from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm on the day of the disaster, and more than 40,000 people poured out through exits 1 and 2 of Itaewon Station for 4 hours. An official from the special edition said, “On the day of the disaster, Dongmyo Office Manager Lee went to Itaewon Station expecting a crowd to gather, and is investigating why he did not comply even though he received an order from his superior to ‘consider passing through without stopping’.”
However, it is said that the head of the business site does not have the final authority to decide whether to pass without stopping. Itaewon station manager has the authority to request non-stop passage to the control center, and the Seoul Transportation Corporation control center has the final authority to decide non-stop passage. The head of the Yongsan Police Station 112 Situation Team, who was converted from a reference person to a suspect, is accused of neglecting 112 call handling and relief measures following the accident while working at the Yongsan Police Station situation room on the day of the disaster. His superior, Song Byeong-joo, former head of the Yongsan Police Station 112 Situation Office (police officer), was interrogated at the Seoul Western District Court at 2:00 p.m.
The special edition, which applied for arrest warrants for four police officers, including former Yongsan Police Chief Lee Im-jae on the 1st, is considering a plan to apply for arrest warrants for Yongsan-gu District Office Park Hee-young and Choi Seong-beom, Yongsan Fire Chief.
The investigation into the ‘upper line’ responsible for the disaster is also speeding up. An official from the Special Investigation Division said, “The Ministry of Public Administration and Security and the Seoul Metropolitan Government are under investigation, so please wait a little longer.”
