First Suspect Interrogation on the 19th
Likely to Be Recalled for Further Investigation Soon
Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District, is entering the Mapo Office of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, where the Special Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency is located, on the 22nd to observe digital forensic investigations such as mobile phone examinations. Photo by Oh Gyu-min
[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] It has been confirmed that Park Hee-young, the Yongsan District Mayor and a suspect in the Itaewon disaster case, visited the Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Unit) investigating the Itaewon disaster on the 22nd to observe the forensic examination of the previously seized mobile phones and other devices.
The Special Investigation Unit summoned Mayor Park to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Mapo Office from 10 a.m. that day to allow him to observe the digital forensic investigation. Earlier, on the 8th, the Special Investigation Unit conducted a search and seizure of the Yongsan District Mayor's office and secured Mayor Park's mobile phones and other items. The Special Investigation Unit analyzed documents and electronic information related to Halloween safety measures obtained during the search and seizure and summoned Mayor Park for questioning on the 19th. This day’s procedure was to analyze the seized mobile phones and other devices. Based on the forensic analysis results, the Special Investigation Unit is expected to summon Mayor Park again for questioning within two weeks at the earliest.
Mayor Park was booked on the 6th on charges of negligence resulting in death or injury and other allegations for neglecting to prepare safety accident prevention measures in the Itaewon area during the Halloween period and for inappropriate response to the disaster. Through ongoing investigations, the Special Investigation Unit has been examining whether Mayor Park properly established Halloween safety measures and what actual duties he performed. They have also investigated his role in the process of enacting the so-called 'Dance Permission Ordinance' (an ordinance concerning the operation of general restaurants where dancing is allowed in seats in Yongsan-gu, Seoul) passed by the Yongsan District Council in April this year.
The Special Investigation Unit plans to conduct a second round of investigations within two weeks for the main suspects initially booked, including Mayor Park, and then decide on the direction of their legal status. The possibility of applying for an arrest warrant cannot be ruled out during this process. The Special Investigation Unit had previously imposed a travel ban on Mayor Park on the 11th.
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