Police Launch Forced Investigation into 'Itaewon Disaster'... Raids Conducted at 8 Locations Including Seoul Police Agency and Yongsan Station (Comprehensive)

On the 2nd, during the national mourning period following the large-scale crush disaster in Itaewon, police forces are controlling access around the Itaewon disaster site in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Police Agency’s Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation HQ), investigating the inadequate response to the Itaewon disaster, launched a forced investigation on the 2nd targeting eight locations including the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Yongsan Police Station, and Yongsan District Office.

The Special Investigation HQ announced that from 2 p.m. on the same day, it was conducting search and seizure operations at eight locations to determine the cause of the Itaewon disaster, including the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Yongsan Police Station, Yongsan District Office, Yongsan Fire Station, Seoul Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center, Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, Itaewon Station, and Dasan Call Center. It is known that the Special Investigation HQ secured materials related to 112 emergency calls on the day of the disaster and documents on the Halloween security plan. This is the first time the police have launched a forced investigation related to the Itaewon disaster.

Through the materials secured by the search and seizure, the Special Investigation HQ plans to examine whether the police officers in charge, who received 11 reports over about four hours before the disaster, fulfilled their duties, and whether the actions of commanders and personnel at various levels who received the report transmissions were appropriate.

The Special Investigation HQ will also review the overall preparation status, including the police force deployment plan to manage Halloween, to assess the appropriateness of the safety management measures taken by Yongsan Police Station on the day of the accident. It is also expected to investigate allegations that Yongsan Police Station requested support from the riot police before Halloween, but the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency refused.

Regarding Yongsan District Office, materials are being secured from related departments such as the district office chief’s office and the Safety and Disaster Division. This is to investigate suspicions that although the Yongsan District Office held a “Halloween Safety Measures Meeting” with the police station and Itaewon Station on the 26th of last month, three days before the disaster, it failed to establish appropriate personnel safety measures. The Yongsan Fire Station, Seoul Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center, Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, and Dasan Call Center are each undergoing search and seizure of their control rooms to secure records of disaster-related reports.

In addition, the Special Investigation HQ is focusing its investigative efforts on clarifying the exact cause of the disaster. It is already analyzing 52 CCTV cameras near the accident site and 60 videos taken by citizens. Investigations will also be conducted into whether administrative authorities, including Yongsan District Office, responded inadequately and into indiscriminate defamation and insults occurring online.

Earlier, the Special Investigation HQ was established as a special organization within the Police Agency to clarify the truth of the Itaewon disaster, following the intention of Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun, and transitioned from the existing Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency investigation headquarters, starting related investigations from the afternoon of the previous day. The Special Investigation HQ, led by Senior Superintendent Son Je-han, consists of a total of 501 personnel. Director Son will conduct investigations independently without supervision or command from superiors and will report only the investigation results.

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