National Police Agency, 'Itaewon Disaster' Lee Im-jae, Yongsan Police Chief, Placed on Standby (Comprehensive)

Yongsan Police Station, Seoul [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] On the 2nd, the National Police Agency placed Yim In-jae, the chief of Yongsan Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the Itaewon disaster, on standby leave.

The National Police Agency announced in the afternoon, "Chief Yim is in a situation where normal work performance is difficult, so he has been placed on standby leave, and a successor will be appointed within the day." Currently, Chief Yim is under investigation by the National Police Agency's special inspection team for inadequate initial response to the Itaewon disaster. Yongsan Police Station is one of the targets of the National Police Agency's special investigation headquarters' search and seizure operation that began at 2 p.m. on the same day.

Earlier, the National Police Agency formed a special inspection team the previous day and began an investigation of all Yongsan Police Station staff, including Chief Yim. The inspection team is examining whether the police force deployment plan around Itaewon ahead of Halloween was appropriate. They are also focusing on the appropriateness of the on-site response process, from receiving reports, transmitting and reporting important matters, managerial decisions and actions, to the response of the field departments.

The special investigation headquarters also began a forced investigation by conducting search and seizure operations at eight locations, including Yongsan Police Station, on the same day. Through the materials secured by the search and seizure, the special investigation headquarters 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 staff, including Chief Yim who received the report situations, were appropriate.

Chief Yim is originally from Hampyeong, Jeollanam-do, graduated from the Korean National Police University, and has served as the head of the Security Division at Suseo Police Station in Seoul, head of the Security Division at Gangseo Police Station in Seoul, and at Gurye Police Station in Jeollanam-do. He was appointed as the chief of Yongsan Police Station in January of this year.

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