Request to Postpone Appellate Trials Related to the Disaster
The Special Investigation Committee for the Truth-Finding and Prevention of Recurrence of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster (Itaewon Disaster Special Committee) has requested the Seoul High Court to postpone the appellate trial related to the disaster.
The Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Council and the Citizens' Countermeasures Committee announced in a press release on July 2 that the Special Committee had sent an official letter to the Seoul High Court the previous day regarding this request.
Song Gichun, chairman of the Special Investigation Committee for the Truth-Finding and Prevention of Recurrence of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster (Itaewon Disaster Special Committee), is explaining the significance of the decision to commence the investigation after concluding the 27th committee meeting held last month on the 17th at the Itaewon Disaster Special Committee in Jung-gu, Seoul. Yonhap News.
The Special Committee requested that the appellate trials of Kim Kwangho, former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Lee Imjae, former chief of the Yongsan Police Station, and Park Heeyoung, head of Yongsan District, be postponed until the review and resolution of the investigation results scheduled for June next year.
The Bereaved Families Council and the Citizens' Countermeasures Committee argued that criminal trials are proceeding even though the truth has not yet been fully uncovered, and insisted that the results of the Special Committee's investigation should be reflected in the criminal trials.
The Special Committee has twice requested the police to submit the 'non-indictment case investigation records' for the purpose of uncovering the truth, but it has been confirmed that these records were not provided.
The police explained that, based on the authoritative interpretation of the Ministry of Government Legislation, it is difficult to provide investigation records for cases that were not forwarded for indictment.
According to the authoritative interpretation posted on the website of the Ministry of Government Legislation, the Ministry replied to the police that the Itaewon Disaster Truth-Finding Act does not specifically stipulate the disclosure of investigation records for non-indictment cases, and therefore the Special Committee cannot demand these records from investigative agencies.
The Special Committee was established last year under a special law to guarantee the rights of victims of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster, uncover the truth, and prevent recurrence.
The committee's term of activity runs until June next year and may be extended for up to three months after its conclusion.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
