Searching for scapegoats in Osong disaster? ... Police backlash over 'poor response' allegations

Support Wreath "You Are Doing Your Best" in Front of Osong Police Box
Police Union Protest: "Are Police Punching Bags?" Solo Demonstration

Regarding the flooding accident at Gungpyeong 2 Underpass in Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, the police, suspected of 'inadequate response,' are protesting, saying that the 'accident responsibility is being shifted solely onto the police.'

On the 27th, dozens of wreaths supporting the police were delivered in front of the Osong Police Substation in Cheongju. The wreaths were sent by the National Police Workplace Council (Police Council) and bore messages such as "Stay strong" and "You did your best."

On the 27th, wreaths of support were lined up in front of Osong Police Substation, which is under suspicion of inadequate response during the handling of the 112 emergency call at the time of the Cheongju Osong underpass accident. / Provided by the National Police Workplace Council [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, the Police Council also held a relay one-person protest in front of the Government Sejong Complex's Office for Government Policy Coordination, condemning the shifting of responsibility for the Gungpyeong underpass disaster onto the police.

Min Gwan-gi, chairman of the Police Council, criticized, "The government is shifting the responsibility of the state and local governments for the Osong Gungpyeong 2 Underpass flooding accident onto the police," adding, "Are the police a punching bag?" He also insisted, "The person responsible for the disaster should be punished under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act."

The Chungbuk police are suspected of failing to take appropriate measures despite receiving a 112 emergency call requesting urgent control of the underpass one hour before the disaster, and of attempting to conceal this during the Office for Government Policy Coordination's inspection by falsely reporting that they were dispatched to another accident site.

The 112 situation room of Heungdeok Police Station, which received a citizen's report stating, "It seems the Gungpyeong underpass will overflow, so vehicle control is necessary," issued an order to the Osong Police Substation patrol car to dispatch to the underpass, but the patrol car did not go to the scene.

At that time, the patrol car was handling a heavy rain damage report received around the same time, and it is reported that the order was not delivered because the patrol car's tablet PC was not functioning. Although the patrol car did not go to the scene, the Heungdeok Police Station situation room processed the report as "arrival and closure" about 10 minutes after receiving the report.

Accordingly, since the 24th, the prosecution has conducted raids on the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency, Heungdeok Police Station, and Osong Police Substation. Also, the Office for Government Policy Coordination requested an investigation by the prosecution into six police officers belonging to the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency on the 21st, citing serious errors in handling the 112 call incident.

Meanwhile, on the 28th, the Office for Government Policy Coordination announced the results of its inspection related to this disaster. It requested investigations into a total of 36 people, including six police officers from the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency, as well as personnel from Chungcheongbuk-do, Cheongju City, the Administrative City Construction Agency (Happy City), and the Chungbuk Fire Headquarters. It also stated plans to notify the affiliated institutions of 63 public officials from five organizations and demand disciplinary actions.

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