[Exclusive] 'Itaewon Disaster Poor Response' Former Yongsan Police Chief Im Imae Appeals First Trial Suspended Prison Sentence

Appeal Filed on the 4th

Former Seoul Yongsan Police Chief Lee Im-jae, who was sentenced to three years in prison for inadequate response during the Itaewon disaster, has appealed the first trial verdict.

Former Yongsan Police Chief Lee Im-jae [Photo by Yonhap News]

According to the Seoul Western District Court on the 4th, Lee submitted an appeal against the first trial held on charges of professional negligence causing death or injury, falsification and use of false official documents, and violation of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal in the National Assembly.

Earlier, on the 30th of last month, the Criminal Division 11 of the Seoul Western District Court (Presiding Judge Bae Seong-jung) recognized Lee guilty only of professional negligence causing death or injury among the charges, acquitted him of falsification and use of false official documents and violation of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal in the National Assembly, and sentenced him to three years in prison.

Lee was indicted in January last year on charges of professional negligence causing death or injury for failing to establish accident prevention measures despite being able to foresee casualties due to the large crowd on the day of the disaster, and for not taking timely measures such as deploying the riot police and controlling roads, which increased the human casualties.

He was also indicted on charges of falsification and use of false official documents for instructing staff to falsely record his arrival time at the scene to cover up the inadequate response, and on charges of violating the Act on Testimony and Appraisal in the National Assembly for testifying falsely at a parliamentary hearing that he recognized the disaster later than he actually did and that he ordered the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to request support from the riot police.

Additionally, it has been confirmed that Song Byung-joo, former head of the Yongsan Police Station 112 Situation Room, also filed an appeal against the first trial verdict, which sentenced him to two years in prison. Song was indicted on charges of failing to take appropriate safety measures, such as pushing the crowd that spilled onto the road back onto the sidewalk, despite 112 emergency calls warning of the risk of crushing just before the disaster.