[2021 National Audit] "Gwangju Hakdong Disaster Investigation Police Ignore Tip on Moon Heung-sik's Overseas Escape"

Representative Lee Hyung-seok "Police Overall Internal Investigation Needed"

Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, attended the National Assembly's audit of the National Police Agency held on the 5th at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and is receiving a report from officials. Photo by the National Assembly Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] It has been revealed that the police ignored prior tips about the overseas escape of Moon Heung-sik, the former chairman of the May 18 Detained and Injured Association and a key figure in the collapse disaster of a demolition building in Hakdong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, which killed 9 and injured 8 last June.

At the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's National Police Agency audit on the 5th, Lee Hyung-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, "Kim, the team leader of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit at the Gwangju Police Agency investigating the Hakdong disaster, received a tip about Moon's overseas escape but took no action and ignored it."

The transcript Lee disclosed at the audit contained information that Moon was preparing to flee. This tip was delivered to the police by a member of the Hakdong 4 District Housing Redevelopment Association, who made a public interest report two days before Moon fled abroad and appeared as a witness at the Gwangju Police Agency.

However, the police took no significant measures, and Moon fled to the United States on June 13 but voluntarily returned last month on the 11th after three months.

Lee emphasized, "Initial investigations are very important in all cases," adding, "If there was a tip about a key suspect, the police should have immediately imposed a travel ban or arrested him, but they failed to do so, allowing Moon to escape abroad." He continued, "With the independence of investigative authority, investigations that earn public trust should be conducted, but such tips were ignored and aided. The police agency must conduct an internal investigation across the board, and if any officers knew about Moon's escape or leaked investigation details, the National Police Agency must investigate with strong determination." Commissioner General Kim Chang-ryong responded, "I believe the investigation must be strict and thorough" regarding this matter.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.