Special Investigation Headquarters Sends Four Yongsangu Office Executives Including District Mayor Park Heeyoung to Prosecution

First Local Government Officials Outside Police
Kim Gwang-ho and Choi Seong-beom Also Consider Warrant Application
Seoul City and Ministry of the Interior Review Criminal Liability

Park Hee-young, the mayor of Yongsan District, who is accused of professional negligence causing death and injury related to the Itaewon disaster, is attending the pre-arrest detention hearing at the Seoul Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 26th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Special Investigation Headquarters (SIH) of the National Police Agency, investigating the Itaewon disaster, handed over four senior officials of Yongsan District Office, including District Mayor Park Hee-young, to the prosecution on the 3rd.

At a briefing held at the Mapo Police Station of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the morning of the same day, the SIH announced, "District Mayor Park and Choi Won-jun, Head of the Safety and Disaster Division of Yongsan District Office, were sent to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office under custody on charges including professional negligence resulting in death or injury." The SIH added that Deputy District Mayor Yoo Seung-jae and Moon In-hwan, Director of the Safety, Construction, and Transportation Bureau of the District Office, were sent without detention on the same charges.

This is the first time the SIH has handed over local government officials to the prosecution in connection with the Itaewon disaster. Previously, the SIH had sent seven individuals, including former Seoul Police Chief of Intelligence Park Sung-min and former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae, all of whom were police officials.

Earlier, the SIH obtained arrest warrants from the court on the 26th of last month for District Mayor Park and Director Choi and detained them. Although an arrest warrant was initially requested for Director Moon, it was rejected at the prosecution stage. The SIH considered reapplying for the warrant, citing concerns over evidence tampering as Director Moon had acquired a new mobile phone after the disaster. However, they decided to send him without detention, judging that further delays in the investigation should be avoided.

According to the SIH, District Mayor Park is suspected of neglecting to prepare safety accident prevention measures during the Halloween period and responding inadequately to the disaster. The SIH viewed the charges against the local government, which holds primary responsibility for disaster preparedness and relief under the "Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety," as more serious than those against the police. Based on this judgment, Deputy District Mayor Yoo, Director Moon, and Director Choi, who were responsible for practical duties, were investigated.

Choi Seong-beom, Chief of Yongsan Fire Station [Photo by Yonhap News]

The SIH is focusing on supplementary investigations to reapply for an arrest warrant for Choi Seong-beom, the on-site fire command officer of the Yongsan Fire Station on the day of the disaster. Previously, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office returned the arrest warrant application submitted by the SIH on the 27th of last month, which charged Chief Choi with professional negligence resulting in death or injury. The SIH plans to decide whether to reapply for the arrest warrant within this week.

The SIH is also carefully reviewing the detention of former Seoul Police Personnel and Education Division Chief Ryu Mi-jin (Senior Superintendent) and former Seoul Police 112 Situation Team 3 Leader Jeong Mo (Police Superintendent). However, regarding Song Eun-young, the Itaewon Station Manager, who is suspected of increasing casualties by not implementing a no-stop pass on the day of the disaster, the SIH is considering sending her without detention. An SIH official explained, "Although the station manager admits negligence regarding the accident, we took into account her efforts to establish prior safety measures and her work within the station on the day of the accident to prevent safety incidents."

As the handling of the main suspects' custody is nearing completion, the SIH is expanding the scope of the investigation to include higher-ups such as National Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun and Seoul Police Chief Kim Kwang-ho. Following the questioning of Seoul Police employees as witnesses the previous day, police officers affiliated with the National Police Agency are being summoned for investigation today. Earlier, the SIH had charged Chief Kim last month with professional negligence resulting in death or injury and is currently reviewing whether to apply for an arrest warrant. Commissioner Yoon is reportedly maintaining witness status.

The SIH is also examining the criminal liability of higher administrative bodies such as the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. They are continuing investigations by summoning Seoul city officials as witnesses and have completed preliminary investigations of Ministry of the Interior and Safety employees. An SIH official stated, "We are conducting final legal reviews on whether central administrative agencies or metropolitan local governments have specific duties of care," adding, "We expect to reach a conclusion soon."