Prosecutors Conduct Search and Seizure at Police Agency Related to 'Itaewon Disaster' (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] The prosecution has conducted a search and seizure of the National Police Agency’s Intelligence Bureau in connection with suspicions of deletion of documents related to Halloween response.

On the 9th at 10:30 a.m., the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office carried out a search and seizure at seven locations including the Intelligence Analysis Division, Information Situation Division, and Information Management Division of the National Police Agency’s Intelligence Bureau on charges related to the deletion of Halloween Day response documents. This is the third time the prosecution has searched the National Police Agency in connection with the Itaewon incident, following the collection of digital forensic data over two days on the 10th and 11th of last month.

This search and seizure is reportedly aimed at verifying whether the National Police Agency’s Intelligence Bureau reviewed or was involved in the deletion of the Halloween Day response documents. The Intelligence Analysis Division of the National Police Agency conducts intelligence activities related to the prevention and response of public safety risks concerning national security.

According to the prosecution, the Yongsan Police Station Intelligence Division prepared a report titled “Safety Management Status and Accident Risk Factors of Autumn Festival Events” on October 4th last year under the direction of the National Police Agency’s Intelligence Bureau. This report was submitted to the National Police Agency’s Intelligence Bureau via the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Intelligence Department.

The Yongsan Police Station Intelligence Division also prepared a report titled “Halloween Day, On-Offline Policing Burden Factors” under the direction of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Intelligence Department and reported it to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Another intelligence report based on this document was uploaded to the police intelligence document management system.

The prosecution is expected to analyze the instruction and reporting routes of the documents to determine whether the National Police Agency was involved in the deletion of Halloween-related reports, and whether the top leadership of the National Police Agency foresaw the risk of disaster through the reports they received but failed to take appropriate measures.

The prosecution indicted former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Public Safety Intelligence and 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.) yesterday. They are currently on trial after being detained and indicted on charges of ordering the deletion of the “Itaewon Halloween Festival Public Safety Risk Analysis” report produced by the Yongsan Police Station Intelligence Officer on November 2nd last year, shortly after the disaster, from a work PC.