Mobile Unit Arrives at Itaewon Disaster Site Only After 1 Hour 25 Minutes

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] It has been confirmed that the police riot squads arrived at the scene of the Itaewon disaster, where 156 people died, only 1 hour and 25 minutes after the incident occurred.

According to data submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to the Democratic Party's Itaewon Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters on the 6th, a total of five riot squads were deployed to the Itaewon disaster site on the 29th of last month.

Among them, the first riot squad to arrive at the scene was the 11th Riot Squad. The 11th Riot Squad received deployment orders from the Yongsan Police Station at 11:17 PM on the 29th and arrived at the disaster site at 11:40 PM. On the day of the disaster, the 11th Riot Squad was initially deployed to manage a rally held in the Yongsan area and continued night and key facility duty in the Yongsan area from 8:40 PM after the rally ended.

The 77th and 67th Riot Squads received deployment orders from the Security Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency at 11:33 PM and 11:50 PM, respectively. The 77th Riot Squad was deployed to the scene at 11:50 PM, 17 minutes after the order, and the 67th Riot Squad was deployed at 12:10 AM the next day. At that time, the 77th and 67th Riot Squads were on duty at the Jongno and Yeouido key points, respectively.

The 32nd Riot Squad, which was on duty at the Seocho key point, received orders at 11:51 PM and was deployed to the disaster site at 12:30 AM the next day. The 51st Riot Squad, which was on duty at a diplomatic facility, received deployment orders at 1:14 AM on the day after the disaster and arrived at the disaster site 19 minutes later at 1:33 AM.

The delay in deploying the riot squads is presumed to be due to complacent responses by the police on duty at the scene and the situation room, as well as late reporting to the command headquarters. Former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae reported to Kim Kwang-ho, Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, for the first time only at 11:36 PM, 1 hour and 21 minutes after the disaster occurred. Chief Kim promptly ordered the Security Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to deploy available units at 11:44 PM, 8 minutes after receiving the report. Until Chief Kim gave the order, only two riot squads had received deployment orders.

On the day of the disaster, all five riot squads were deployed to the candlelight rally held in the section from Samgakji Intersection to Namyeong Station. After the rally ended around 8:25 PM, the riot squads returned to their respective duty locations and continued night duty.

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