"Additional Indictment This Week for Evidence Tampering Charges"
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] The prosecution announced that it will additionally indict former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Public Safety Information and Foreign Affairs Division Chief Park Seong-min and former Yongsan Police Station Intelligence Division Chief Kim Jin-ho within this week on charges of evidence tampering related to the Itaewon disaster. The investigation into Kim’s charge of professional negligence causing death and injury is also ongoing.
Former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Public Safety Information and Foreign Affairs Division Chief Park Seong-min is entering the Seoul Western District Court on December 5 last year to attend a pre-trial detention hearing. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
On the 8th, Judge Kang Seongsu of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Western District Court held the first pretrial hearing for three defendants: former Chief Park, former Chief Kim, and Yongsan Police Station intelligence officer Kwak, who are accused of instructing damage to public electronic records and evidence tampering.
The prosecution stated, "We plan to additionally indict former Chief Park and former Chief Kim within this week on charges of evidence tampering," and added, "The investigation into former Chief Kim’s charge of professional negligence causing death is also ongoing."
The pretrial hearing is a procedure before the formal trial begins, where the court listens to the prosecution and defense’s plans for presenting evidence and selects necessary evidence and witnesses. Although the defendants are not obligated to attend, all three defendants were present on this day.
Despite being the first trial procedure related to the Itaewon disaster in over three months, there was no progress. This was because the prosecution did not allow the defense to review the evidence records and lists, citing ongoing investigations for additional indictments.
The defense stated, "We could not review the evidence records and lists due to the ongoing separate investigation," and added, "It is difficult to present opinions on the evidence."
Judge Kang said, "Given that the defendants are currently detained, it is problematic not to know when the investigation will conclude," and requested, "The prosecution should reach a conclusion on whether to indict as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, they are accused of ordering the deletion of intelligence reports that anticipated crowds gathering in Itaewon during Halloween and carrying out those orders. Former Chief Park is suspected of instructing frontline intelligence chiefs, including former Chief Kim, via messenger on November 2 last year to delete intelligence reports indicating that crowds might gather in Itaewon on Halloween. Former Chief Kim is also under investigation for ordering his subordinate Kwak to delete the reports stored on a work PC.
The next pretrial hearing is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. on the 3rd of next month.
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