"No Guidance Was Given": Safety Personnel and Public Official Booked
Union: "No-Entry Zone... The Real Issue Is Lack of Safety Awareness"
After the police booked safety personnel and a responsible public official in connection with the recent drowning of four university students who were playing in the water in Geumsan, Chungnam, the public officials' union has expressed strong opposition.
According to Geumsan County on August 6, the Geumsan County Public Officials' Labor Union issued a statement saying, "This accident was caused by a lack of safety awareness, with individuals thinking 'I'll be fine' despite multiple warnings about the dangers." The union added, "We cannot accept any attempt to shift blame onto the responsible official simply because some of the safety measures established and operated by the county to prevent water accidents did not function as intended."
The union stated, "This tragic accident, which claimed the lives of young people in their twenties, is now also shaking the life of a young public official in his twenties." The union urged, "Please make every effort to protect the responsible official who was carrying out his duties according to the administrative system." The union also requested, "Establish at least the minimum legal and administrative safety measures for staff members performing these duties."
An information sign indicating a "No Swimming Area" has been installed near the wild park close to Georigi Park in Cheonnae-ri, Jewon-myeon, Geumsan-gun, Chungnam. Photo by Yonhap News
Previously, at around 6:19 p.m. on July 9, four university students in their twenties went missing while playing in the water at the wild park near Georigi Park in Cheonnae-ri, Jewon-myeon, Geumsan-gun. They were found dead three hours and thirty minutes later. The site of the accident was designated as a no-entry area due to strong currents, and large banners and warning signs indicating "No Swimming" were reportedly posted throughout the area. It was also reported that the students were not wearing life jackets or other safety equipment at the time of the accident.
The Geumsan Police Department is investigating two safety personnel in their sixties and one public official in his twenties, who were on duty at the scene on the day of the accident, on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death, as they believe the safety personnel did not provide proper guidance.
Immediately after the accident, the safety personnel told the police that they had issued a warning to those playing in the water in the restricted area. However, the police determined that the safety personnel did not actually provide any safety guidance. In addition, it was found that there were no safety announcements broadcast at the site at the time of the accident.
The bereaved families are demanding a full investigation, claiming that there were not enough measures in place to prevent people from entering the water in the accident area. One family member said, "It was difficult to tell that this was a no-swimming zone at the point where the children first entered the water, and there were no safety buoys installed in that area." The family also argued, "If this was a dangerous area for water activities, all facilities such as the parking lot should have been closed from the beginning."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
