Failure to Manage Crowds at Itaewon Station... Special Task Force Holds Police and Transit Corporation Responsible

Ahead of "Halloween Day" (October 31), the Itaewon tourist district in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, is bustling with crowds on the evening of the 28th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Special Investigation Headquarters (Special HQ) of the National Police Agency investigating the Itaewon disaster has on the 23rd registered both the Yongsan Police Station 112 Situation Room Chief and the Itaewon Station Manager as suspects over the dispute regarding the non-stop passage of the Itaewon Station on Subway Line 6. It is said that the initial judgment was that both parties bear responsibility for crowd control at Itaewon Station on the day of the disaster.

At a briefing on the morning of the same day, the Special HQ announced that it had additionally registered nine people as suspects, including the Yongsan Police Station 112 Situation Room Chief and the Itaewon Station Manager. The Special HQ applied charges of professional negligence resulting in death and injury against the Yongsan 112 Situation Room Chief, judging that his response as the person in charge at the scene on the day of the disaster was inadequate. Regarding the Itaewon Station Manager, despite having the authority to request non-stop passage, he was registered on the same charges as the Yongsan 112 Situation Room Chief for failing to take action, which led to a large-scale loss of life.

Coincidentally, these two were the main figures involved in the dispute over the non-stop passage of Itaewon Station on the day of the disaster. Previously, the police claimed that the Yongsan 112 Situation Room Chief requested non-stop passage from the Transportation Corporation at around 9:39 p.m. on the 29th of last month, but the request was not accepted. On the other hand, the corporation's official countered that Yongsan inquired about non-stop passage at Itaewon Station at around 11:11 p.m., about an hour after the disaster occurred.

The Special HQ stated that the investigation into this dispute between both sides is "progressing." Meanwhile, separate from the dispute, they explained that both parties bear responsibility for crowd control at Itaewon Station on the day of the disaster. It is reported that the Special HQ has secured testimonies from Transportation Corporation employees during witness investigations stating, "Non-stop passage should obviously have been allowed on the day of the disaster." Furthermore, they view that the Yongsan 112 Situation Room Chief, as the person in charge at the scene, neglected on-site measures after ordering control of the Itaewon Station entrances, which exacerbated the loss of life.

The Special HQ has been questioning the Yongsan 112 Situation Room Chief since the morning of the same day. The Itaewon Station Manager, who was previously questioned once as a witness on the 11th, is also scheduled to be summoned soon as a suspect. Once the investigations of the two suspects are completed, the truth behind the dispute between the police and the Transportation Corporation regarding the non-stop passage is expected to be determined.

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