Prosecutors Investigate Victims Among 'Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families'... "Need to Investigate Higher-Ups"

Representative of Bereaved Families Council "Investigation of Higher-Ups Needed"

Lee Jong-cheol, representative of the Bereaved Families Association of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster (left), and Lee Jeong-min, vice representative, are meeting with reporters to express their position before appearing at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office on the morning of the 13th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] The prosecution has begun victim investigations targeting the bereaved families of the Itaewon disaster victims.

According to the legal community on the 13th, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office conducted victim investigations starting at 10 a.m. on that day, questioning Lee Jongcheol, the representative of the Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association, and Lee Jeongmin, the vice representative.

Upon appearing at the Western District Prosecutors' Office that morning, Representative Lee urged for the summoning and investigation of the 'higher-ups,' which had not been conducted by the Police Agency's Special Investigation Headquarters. He stated, "(The Special Investigation Headquarters) did not summon or investigate related figures such as Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon at all," and criticized, "I cannot understand how they could conduct such an investigation with a massive organization of 500 people and achieve so little."

Vice Representative Lee, who appeared together, also said, "I think it is wrong because the investigation is not victim-centered," and added, "We intend to request explanations to the bereaved families regarding the additional investigations conducted by the prosecution."

The Special Investigation Headquarters, launched on November 2 last year, concluded its investigation on this day by referring 23 individuals, including Seoul Police Chief Kim Gwang-ho, to the prosecution on charges such as professional negligence resulting in death or injury. However, higher institutions such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Seoul Metropolitan Government judged that it was legally difficult to hold these institutions accountable and therefore did not investigate the heads of these institutions.

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