Special Investigation Unit summons Yongsan District Office staff daily... High-intensity investigation to determine responsibility

The signboard of the Itaewon Accident Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Unit), investigating the inadequate response to the 'Itaewon tragedy,' is hung at the entrance of the Mapo Police Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation HQ) of the National Police Agency, which is investigating the Itaewon disaster, has been conducting intensive investigations by summoning employees from related organizations such as Yongsan District Office day after day.

On the 13th, the Special Investigation HQ announced that it would summon employees from Yongsan District Office and Seoul Metro as witnesses for questioning. The Special Investigation HQ is examining whether Yongsan District Office, as a local government responsible for disaster management under the Disaster and Safety Act, neglected safety measures. The current judgment of the Special Investigation HQ is that the direct cause of the disaster was Yongsan District Office’s failure to inspect and manage risk factors for crowd accidents in the Itaewon area in advance, as required by the Disaster and Safety Act.

Additionally, the Special Investigation HQ is investigating whether Yongsan District Office neglected the illegal extension of the Hamilton Hotel building, thereby increasing the risk of a crowd accident. They are also looking into the possibility that the damage was exacerbated due to the ordinance enacted by Yongsan District Office and the district council in April this year, which allowed general restaurants to install sound facilities and permit customers to dance.

The Special Investigation HQ is also investigating the circumstances under which Seoul Metro and Itaewon Station did not implement non-stop passage despite the subway exits being so crowded with passengers on the afternoon of the 29th of last month, the day of the disaster, that passengers could not exit. There is a prospect that if the company and Itaewon Station received a police request for non-stop passage before the disaster but failed to comply, they could be charged with 'dereliction of duty by omission.'

The day before, the Special Investigation HQ also summoned and questioned employees from Yongsan District Office and Yongsan Fire Station. It is reported that the Special Investigation HQ focused on questioning them intensively about the on-site measures and situation handling process during the disaster. Inside and outside the police, there are talks that the Special Investigation HQ’s investigation is focused on determining the responsibility of Yongsan District Office and fire authorities for failing to properly prepare for the risk of a crowd accident.

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