Lee Mo (76), the representative of Hamilton Hotel who was prosecuted for illegally expanding unauthorized structures identified as a cause of the casualties in the Itaewon disaster, was sentenced to a fine in the first trial. This is the first verdict among the defendants indicted in connection with the Itaewon disaster.
Lee Mo, the representative of Hamilton Hotel, who was indicted without detention on charges of erecting illegal structures and occupying roads without permission around the hotel where the Itaewon tragedy occurred, is entering the Seoul Western District Court on the morning of the 29th to attend the sentencing trial. [Photo by Yonhap News]
On the 29th, Judge Jeong Geum-young of the Criminal Division 4 at the Seoul Western District Court sentenced Lee to a fine of 8 million KRW for violating the Building Act and the Road Traffic Act. The hotel operating corporation Hamilton Tourism, the leasing corporation District, Park Mo, the owner of the nearby pub 'Frost', and Ahn Mo, the representative of the lounge bar 'Bronze', who were indicted together with Lee, were fined 8 million KRW, 1 million KRW, 1 million KRW, and 5 million KRW respectively.
The court stated, "Lee and Ahn pretended to rectify the illegal buildings by completing demolition, but then illegally expanded the same place again," adding, "They were caught again for violating building regulations, received two correction orders, and were even imposed with enforcement fines. The period of neglecting the illegal buildings was long, and the profits were not insignificant." The court also pointed out, "Lee has a prior record of being fined for violating the Building Act," and "Due to the crime, the road width, which was over 6 meters, was reduced to about 3.6 meters, causing significant obstruction to road traffic." However, the fact that the defendant admitted the crime, showed remorse, and demolished the illegal structures was considered a favorable circumstance.
They are accused of erecting illegal structures around the main building of Hamilton Hotel and occupying the road without permission. It has been pointed out that this narrowing of the road caused casualties in the Itaewon disaster on October 29 last year.
In 2018, Lee illegally expanded the terrace of Bronze behind Hamilton Hotel and received a correction order from Yongsan District Office, after which he demolished it. However, ten days later, he illegally erected a building made of lightweight steel frames and glass again. Hamilton Hotel was caught in 2013 for expanding the outdoor terrace on the north side of the hotel and the annex partition wall, and paid enforcement fines exceeding 50 million KRW over nine years until last year. Additionally, they expanded a red steel partition wall to shield outdoor units, narrowing the road width by about 20 cm, but did not report this to Yongsan District Office.
This verdict is the first judgment related to the Itaewon disaster, delivered 396 days after the incident. Trials for Park Hee-young, the mayor of Yongsan District, and Lee Im-jae, the former chief of Yongsan Police Station, who were indicted for professional negligence causing death and injury, are ongoing.
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