Disaster Responsibility in Cheongju City... Investigation into Appropriateness of Prevention and Response
42 Officials from Chungbuk Province and Chungju City Prosecuted
Investigation into Serious Citizen Disaster Charges under the Serious Accident Punishment Act
The prosecution confirmed on the 18th that they summoned Shin Byeong-dae, the deputy mayor of Cheongju City, as a witness in connection with the Osong Underpass Disaster.
The Osong Disaster Investigation Headquarters of the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office summoned Deputy Mayor Shin in the morning to investigate whether he, as the disaster manager of Cheongju City, properly carried out disaster prevention and response.
The prosecution is reportedly focusing on questioning Deputy Mayor Shin about the circumstances under which Cheongju City failed to properly manage the temporary embankment on the Miho River, which was the direct cause of the disaster. The prosecution is also investigating why the city did not notify Chungbuk Province or implement road control measures despite receiving information from the Geumgang Flood Control Office on the day of the disaster that the Miho River had reached the planned flood level.
Furthermore, they are verifying whether Deputy Mayor Shin, along with Mayor Lee Beom-seok of Cheongju City, who was previously investigated in April, appropriately allocated personnel and budget for disaster prevention as disaster managers.
Earlier, the prosecution indicted 42 public officials from Chungbuk Province, Cheongju City, police, fire departments, and embankment construction personnel in connection with responsibility for the disaster. Additionally, investigations are ongoing into the charges of serious citizen disaster under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act against top officials including Governor Kim Young-hwan of Chungbuk, Mayor Lee Beom-seok, and former Administrator Lee Sang-rae of the Administrative City Construction Agency.
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