Park Hee-young, Yongsan District Mayor, Appears Before Special Investigation Team... "I Will Cooperate Sincerely"

Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan District. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Seongpil Jo and Gyumin Oh] Park Heeyoung, the mayor of Yongsan District, appeared on the 18th at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Mapo Office, where the Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation HQ) is investigating the Itaewon disaster, to be questioned as a suspect.

Mayor Park appeared at the Special Investigation HQ around 9:50 a.m. and told reporters, "I will sincerely cooperate with the investigation." He did not respond to questions from reporters asking "Which parts will you clarify during the investigation?" or "Do you acknowledge the lack of preparation before the disaster?" Earlier, Mayor Park was booked on charges of professional negligence resulting in death and injury for neglecting to prepare safety accident prevention measures in the Itaewon area during the Halloween period and for inappropriate response to the disaster. The Special Investigation HQ has conducted searches and seizures at the Yongsan District Office and interviewed district office employees as witnesses.

Based on the materials secured through searches and seizures and witness statements, the Special Investigation HQ is expected to question Mayor Park about whether he properly established safety measures during the Halloween period and what actual duties he performed. It will also investigate what role Mayor Park played in April of this year when the Yongsan District Council enacted the so-called "Dance Permission Ordinance" (an ordinance concerning the operation of general restaurants where dancing is permitted on the premises in Yongsan District, Seoul).

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