Itaewon Tragedy Bereaved Families Re-Accuse Higher-Ups... "Thorough Investigation"

Complaint to be submitted to prosecution this week
People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy: "Investigation of prosecution's higher-ups inevitable"
Memorial service to be held in downtown Seoul on the 4th of next month

The bereaved families of the Itaewon disaster have decided to accuse the higher-ups whose responsibility has not yet been determined. Some civic groups also urged the prosecution, which took over the investigation baton from the police, to conduct a thorough investigation.

According to civic groups on the 16th, the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) and the 10·29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association plan to accuse the higher-ups, including Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and Commissioner General of the National Police Agency Yoon Hee-geun, within this week. They are expected to submit the accusation to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, which has jurisdiction over the incident.

Lee Jong-cheol, representative of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association (left), and Lee Jeong-min, vice representative, are meeting with reporters to express their position before appearing at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office on the morning of the 13th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The bereaved families claim that the three higher-ups did not prepare for the disaster and have not taken responsibility for it. On the 13th, the Special Investigation Headquarters (SIH), which investigated the Itaewon disaster, sent 23 people to the prosecution after a month-long investigation, but Minister Lee, Mayor Oh, and Commissioner Yoon were cleared of charges. The SIH's logic was that the judgment was based on evidence and legal principles, and that it was difficult for these three to foresee the risk of mass gathering. However, the bereaved families criticized this, saying that the field officers sent to the prosecution also could not foresee the risk of mass gathering, and that it was merely passing the responsibility. In particular, they believe that Minister Lee, as the overall commander under the Disaster and Safety Act, can be charged with professional negligence resulting in death or injury and dereliction of duty.

The ongoing prosecution investigation is also expected to face pressure. On the 10th, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office conducted a comprehensive search and seizure of 10 places, including the National Police Agency, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Yongsan Police Station, and Yongsan District Office. Additionally, on the 13th, they summoned Lee Jong-cheol, the representative of the bereaved families association, and Lee Jeong-min, the vice representative, to receive the first victim testimonies. Upon appearing before the prosecution, Representative Lee said, "I cannot understand why the SIH, despite having a workforce of 500 people, did not summon Minister Lee or Mayor Oh for investigation and only conducted such limited investigations," adding, "The prosecution can investigate better and more broadly than the SIH."

Some civic groups also insisted that the responsibility of the higher-ups must be clearly revealed. The 10·29 Itaewon Disaster Citizens' Countermeasures Committee and the Bereaved Families Association held the third citizen memorial service in front of the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 14th. Citizens held placards demanding "Punishment of those responsible for the disaster" and urged an investigation into the higher-ups. People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy stated, "It is obvious that the SIH initially excluded the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Commissioner General of the Police Agency, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government from the investigation targets and did not even verify basic facts," and added, "Prosecution investigation into the higher-ups is inevitable, and we urge a thorough investigation."

Meanwhile, the Citizens' Countermeasures Committee plans to operate a focused memorial period from the 30th of this month until the 100th day after the disaster on the 5th of next month. In addition, a memorial service will be held in downtown Seoul on the 4th of next month.