Special Investigation Unit to Immediately Summon Suspects Starting from Lee Ju... Police to Be Called First

Seongmin Park, Head of Seoul Cheong Intelligence Department, Also Summoned
Decision on Indictment to Be Made After Investigation Completion
Ministry of the Interior and Safety Minister's Complaint to Be Reported to Corruption Investigation Office

The signboard of the Itaewon Accident Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Headquarters), 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 Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation HQ), which is investigating the Itaewon disaster, is set to begin summoning suspects who have been booked since the beginning of this month. The main summons targets are expected to be police officers.

At a briefing held on the 14th at the Mapo Office of the Seoul Police Agency, the Special Investigation HQ stated, "We expect to conduct summons investigations for some suspects within this week," adding, "We are making efforts to summon all police-related suspects within two weeks." As of the morning of the same day, the Special Investigation HQ had booked a total of seven suspects, among whom four are police officers: former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae (Senior Superintendent), former Seoul Police Agency Personnel and Education Division Chief Ryu Mi-jin (Senior Superintendent), and former Yongsan Police Station Intelligence Division Chief and Section Chief. Among them, Jeong Mo, an intelligence officer at Yongsan Police Station, was found dead at his home on the 11th, and the Special Investigation HQ plans to close the case as 'no prosecution' accordingly.

Regarding the specific summons schedule for the suspects, the Special Investigation HQ avoided giving a direct answer, stating, "It can be confirmed only after the related witness investigations are completed." The Special Investigation HQ plans to continue witness investigations targeting the Yongsan Police Station Situation Room and Intelligence Division staff on the same day. On the 12th, the Special Investigation HQ also investigated the former Situation Room Chief of Yongsan Police Station to verify the appropriateness of the response during the disaster.

Concerning the suspicion that an intelligence report on safety accident concerns during the Halloween period, prepared by Yongsan Police Station, was deleted, the Special Investigation HQ said regarding Park Seong-min, Director of the Public Safety Intelligence and Foreign Affairs Department at the Seoul Police Agency, who was referred for investigation by the Police Agency's Special Inspection Team, "We plan to summon the Yongsan Police Station Intelligence Division Chief first and then call Park as a witness for investigation." They added that they will decide whether to change the status to suspect after the investigation.

The Special Investigation HQ also announced that they received a request for investigation from the Special Inspection Team on the former Situation Team 3 Chief of the Seoul Police Agency and the former 112 Situation Room Chief of Yongsan Police Station on the same day. A Special Investigation HQ official said, "We plan to proceed with the investigation after analyzing the inspection materials." Previously, the Special Inspection Team had conducted an inspection, reporting that there were problems in the situation assessment and reporting process by the Situation Team 3 Chief, who was the practical person in charge of the Seoul Police Agency 112 Situation Room on the day of the disaster, as well as the team members. They also investigated whether appropriate reporting was made to the Seoul Police Agency 112 Situation Room regarding the former 112 Situation Room Chief of Yongsan Police Station and the circumstances thereof.

Regarding the Firefighters' Union, which filed a complaint against Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min on charges of professional negligence resulting in death or injury, the Special Investigation HQ said, "According to the Police Agency's office division regulations, the complaint is expected to be received through the Police Agency's Civil Affairs Office and then transferred." However, the Special Investigation HQ added, "Since the charge of dereliction of duty and abuse of power by the Minister of the Interior and Safety falls under crimes of high-ranking public officials according to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials Act, if the complaint is received, notification procedures to the Corruption Investigation Office are expected to proceed." Regarding the professional negligence resulting in death or injury specified in the complaint, they said, "It does not seem necessary to notify the Corruption Investigation Office, but legal review is required."

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