Former Yongsan Police Chief and Yongsan Fire Station Chief Return Home After Investigation... First Round of Summons Concluded (Comprehensive)

Former Chief Lee Im-jae Ends After About 11 Hours
Bows Again to Victims and Bereaved Families
Chief Choi Seong-beom Finishes Investigation After 13 Hours

Former Yongsan Police Chief Lee Im-jae is being summoned to the Itaewon Accident Special Investigation Headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 21st. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Former Yongsan Police Chief (Senior Superintendent) Lee Im-jae returned home after being questioned for over 11 hours. Yongsan Fire Chief Choi Seong-beom left the office after about 13 hours.

The Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Unit), investigating the Itaewon disaster, summoned former Chief Lee for questioning starting at 9 a.m. on the 21st. This was the first summons for Lee since the disaster occurred 24 days ago and 16 days after the Special Investigation Unit filed charges against him for professional negligence resulting in death and injury. Although it was widely expected that the investigation would continue until around midnight, it ended earlier than anticipated at approximately 8:20 p.m.

After the questioning, Lee told reporters, "I responded sincerely and truthfully to the investigation." When asked if he had anything to say to the public, he said, "I am truly sorry to the deceased and their families, and I will be sorry for the rest of my life." Upon arriving at the Special Investigation Unit earlier, Lee also bowed repeatedly, saying, "I am sorry as the police chief, and I will live with the heart of a sinner for the rest of my life."

Lee is suspected of failing to take preemptive measures despite being able to anticipate the crowd accident during the Halloween period and arriving at the scene 50 minutes after the disaster occurred, resulting in a delayed response. The Special Investigation Unit is known to have questioned Lee about why he arrived late at the accident scene, delayed reporting to the police command, and how the Halloween preparations were handled.

The Special Investigation Unit is also investigating allegations that Lee fabricated a situation report stating he arrived at the scene immediately after the disaster and is verifying facts related to the Yongsan Police's request for riot police deployment. Previously, Lee stated at the National Assembly, "I requested the deployment of riot police to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency as a safety measure for Halloween, but it was not accepted due to manpower shortages."

Yongsan Fire Station Chief Choi Seong-beom is being summoned to the Itaewon Accident Special Investigation Headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 21st. Photo by Kang Jin-hyeong aymsdream@

Chief Choi began his questioning at 10 a.m. that day and left the office after more than 13 hours, past 11 p.m. When asked why the level 2 response was not promptly issued after the accident, he replied, "The head of the Seoul Fire Disaster Headquarters issued it instead, and I was focused on rescue activities, so I could not do it personally." Regarding suspicions that he did not stay at the designated duty location as part of the safety duty team that day, he said, "I was working outside the Itaewon 119 Safety Center garage," adding, "Even if I was stationed in front of the Hamilton Hotel, it was impossible to be aware of the alleyway situation where the accident occurred in advance."

Chief Choi is suspected of increasing casualties by failing to respond appropriately immediately after the accident and not dispatching despite the police's joint response request just before the disaster (professional negligence resulting in death and injury). The Special Investigation Unit is reported to have checked the response measures taken on the day of the disaster, considering the possibility that Chief Choi did not properly assess the situation, including not responding to the police's joint response request.

The Special Investigation Unit is also said to have questioned Chief Choi about why he did not promptly issue the level 2 response despite dozens of people being in cardiac arrest and receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Additionally, they confirmed whether the safety duty team on the day of the accident adhered to their duty locations based on the "2022 Halloween Day Fire Safety Measures" document prepared by the Yongsan Fire Station ahead of Halloween.

The signboard of the Itaewon Accident Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Unit), which is investigating the inadequate response to the 'Itaewon tragedy,' is hung at the entrance of the Mapo Police Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The summons of former Chief Lee and Chief Choi that day marked the conclusion of the first round of investigations into six suspects initially booked by the Special Investigation Unit. On the 14th, the former Yongsan Police Intelligence Division Chief (Police Superintendent), who is suspected of evidence tampering, was questioned, and on the 19th, Yongsan District Mayor Park Hee-young and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Personnel Education Division Chief Ryu Mi-jin (Senior Superintendent), who are suspected of professional negligence resulting in death and injury and dereliction of duty, were summoned for questioning. The case of former Yongsan Police Intelligence Section Chief Jeong, who died on the 11th during the investigation, will be closed due to 'lack of prosecution rights.'

The Special Investigation Unit plans to summon the main suspects again this week to continue the investigation. Since former Chief Lee's questioning ended relatively early that day, there is a possibility he will be summoned again in two weeks. The Special Investigation Unit intends to analyze the statements of the main suspects and decide on the direction of their detention, including filing arrest warrants.