Police Officer Dies in Fall Through Hole at Palgakjeong Pavilion... Two Public Officials Fined

Charged with Occupational Negligence Resulting in Death
Site Manager Acquitted... "Already Received Prison Sentence for Same Incident"

Regarding the incident in which a police officer investigating a fire at the Palgakjeong pavilion on Wonmi Mountain in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, fell and died two years ago, public officials who had routinely failed to implement proper safety measures have been sentenced to fines.

Asia Economy DB

On May 30, the Bucheon branch of the Incheon District Court, Criminal Division 3 (Presiding Judge Yang Woochang), sentenced two Bucheon city officials, identified as A (47, female) and B (33, male), to fines of 5 million won each for charges of occupational negligence resulting in death.

However, C (56, male), the site manager responsible for the Palgakjeong maintenance project, was acquitted on the grounds that he had already received a final sentence of six months in prison, suspended for one year, for violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act in relation to the same incident. Acquittal in criminal trials is rendered when the conditions for prosecution are not met and the indictment is deemed inappropriate.

The court stated, "If A and B, as the construction supervisor and de facto supervisor, had taken measures to prevent a fall, there was a significant likelihood that the victim could have avoided falling." The court also explained the sentencing, stating, "However, we took into account that both defendants are first-time offenders."

A and others were indicted on charges of failing to implement proper safety measures at the Palgakjeong pavilion atop Wonmi Mountain in Bucheon on October 3, 2023, during the Chuseok holiday, resulting in the death of Inspector Park Chanjun (who was 35 years old at the time of death).

Inspector Park, while investigating the cause of the fire on the second floor of the Palgakjeong pavilion in the early morning hours of that day, fell 2.5 meters through a hole in the floor created during maintenance work. He was transported to a hospital but died two days later.

According to the investigation, A and others, while repairing the Palgakjeong pavilion during maintenance work around the summit of Wonmi Mountain three months prior to the accident, stopped work after a risk of collapse was raised, leaving a hole in the floor.

At the time of the accident, Inspector Park's wife was five months pregnant. In December of the same year, his death was officially recognized as a "line-of-duty death due to hazardous duty."