Prosecutors Conduct Search and Seizure at National Police Agency Related to 'Itaewon Tragedy' (Update)

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] The Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office has launched a search and seizure operation targeting the National Police Agency's Intelligence Bureau in connection with allegations of deletion of documents related to Halloween response.

According to the prosecution on the 9th, the Western District Prosecutors' Office conducted search and seizure operations at a total of seven locations, including the Intelligence Analysis Division, Intelligence Situation Division, and Intelligence Management Division of the National Police Agency's Intelligence Bureau, starting at 10:30 a.m. on the 9th, in relation to charges including deletion of Halloween Day response documents.

The prosecution indicted former Seoul Police Agency Public Safety Intelligence Foreign Affairs Division Chief Park Seongmin and former Yongsan Police Station Intelligence Division Chief Kim Jinho on charges of instructing the deletion of three reports related to the Itaewon Halloween festival (obstruction of evidence, etc.).

They are currently on trial after being detained and indicted for allegedly ordering the deletion of the "Itaewon Halloween Festival Public Safety Risk Analysis" report, produced by the Yongsan Police Station intelligence officer, from a work PC on November 2 of last year, shortly after the disaster.