Gyeongnam Police Replace Investigation Team Over Dereliction of Duty in 'Sacheon Quarry Accident' Case

The police investigation team in charge of the "Sacheon Quarry Fatal Accident" in Gyeongnam, whose officers are under suspicion of dereliction of duty following a request from prosecutors for a supplementary investigation, has been replaced.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency announced on the 31st that the investigation team in charge of this case has been transferred from the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Division 1 to Division 2.

Previously, at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee audit held on the 28th, Gyeongnam Police was criticized for allowing the same investigation team to continue handling the case even after prosecutors requested a supplementary investigation, and was also asked to replace the team.

At the time, Commissioner Kim Jongcheol responded, "While the initial response was regrettable, it is difficult to conclude that there was intentional dereliction of duty," adding, "We will conduct a thorough investigation to dispel any doubts and will also consider replacing the investigation team."

Subsequently, Commissioner Kim ordered the replacement of the investigation team the day after the audit concluded.

A firefighter who arrived at the scene where a vehicle driving on the road of a aggregate production company's quarry in Sacheon, Gyeongnam fell is inspecting the inside of the vehicle. Provided by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters

The Sacheon quarry fatal accident occurred on August 2 of last year, when a sport utility vehicle (SUV) driving on a road inside a quarry operated by an aggregate production company in Sacheon-eup, Sacheon City, fell 4 meters, resulting in the deaths of both the driver in his 60s and a passenger in his 50s, who suffered severe head and other injuries.

At the time, the officer in charge at Sacheon Police Station determined that the accident was a simple traffic incident caused by driver error, with the vehicle overturning and the occupants fatally struck on the head by sharp rocks.

However, the bereaved family, having obtained closed-circuit (CC) TV footage from the scene, raised suspicions of a serious industrial accident, citing that the vehicle approached an area where explosives had been set and blasting occurred at that moment. This led to controversy over an inadequate investigation. In October of that year, the family, together with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, filed a police complaint against Superintendent A and others for alleged dereliction of duty.

After taking over the case, the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency conducted a reinvestigation, including forensic analysis by the National Forensic Service, as well as reviews of the site’s closed-circuit (CC) TV and the vehicle's event data recorder (EDR). The police concluded that it was difficult to determine that the officers had consciously neglected or abandoned their duties, and decided not to refer the case for prosecution.

However, the bereaved family objected to this decision and filed an appeal with the prosecution, which in September requested a supplementary investigation from the police.