Prosecutors Dismiss Case Against Yangcheon Police Chief Accused of Neglecting Duty in 'Jeong-in Incident'

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Seoyul] The prosecution has dismissed the case accusing the former Yangcheon Police Station Chief of dereliction of duty during the ‘Jeongin Incident’.

On the 5th, the Personnel Protection Division of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Choi Young-ah) dismissed the case filed by the civic group Committee for the Protection of the Common People’s Livelihood (Seominwi) against former Yangcheon Police Station Chief Lee Hwa-seop for dereliction of duty. Dismissal is a disposition that concludes the case without detailed examination, judging that the complaint or lawsuit does not meet the requirements to proceed with prosecution or investigation.

The 12 police officers who were also accused were non-prosecuted due to lack of evidence.

In January 2021, Seominwi filed a complaint with the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office against former Chief Lee on charges of dereliction of duty, aiding and abetting murder, and aiding and abetting child abuse. The complaint concerned the failure to properly respond despite receiving three reports suspecting abuse of Jeongin.

The prosecution judged that former Chief Lee might not have been aware of the abuse, and that the police officers could not be considered to have consciously abandoned their duties to the extent that dereliction of duty charges could be applied.

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