Special Investigation Unit Re-summons Former Yongsan Police Chief Lee Im-jae... Six Days After Warrant Rejection

Former Yongsan Police Chief (Senior Superintendent) Lee Im-jae, who was charged with a warrant due to inadequate response to the Itaewon disaster, is leaving the court after completing the pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review) at the Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 5th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation HQ), which is investigating the Itaewon disaster, is summoning former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae for further questioning.

On the morning of the 11th, the Special Investigation HQ called former Chief Lee, who is suspected of professional negligence resulting in death and injury, to the Special Investigation HQ interrogation room at the Mapo Office of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for questioning. This is the first time in six days since the arrest warrant was dismissed on the 5th that the Special Investigation HQ has summoned former Chief Lee again for investigation.

Previously, the Special Investigation HQ had applied for arrest warrants for former Chief Lee and former Yongsan Station 112 Situation Room Chief Song Byung-joo. However, Judge Kim Yumi, who was in charge of the warrant at the Seoul Western District Court, dismissed the warrants, stating, "It is difficult to recognize the grounds and substantiality for detention, and sufficient protection of the right to defense is necessary."

While reviewing the reasons for dismissal, the Special Investigation HQ has been conducting supplementary investigations to reapply for the arrest warrants. Regarding former Chief Lee, they are considering reapplying for an arrest warrant by adding charges of falsifying official documents related to allegations of manipulating the situation report on the day of the disaster.

He is suspected of failing to take prior measures despite the expectation of crowds during the Halloween period and arriving late at the scene, resulting in a delayed response. There is also suspicion that he manipulated the situation report to state that he arrived at the scene around 10:20 p.m., shortly after the disaster.

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