Police Witnesses at Itaewon Disaster, "Not My Duty, Don't Remember" Consistent Response

Police officers who appeared as witnesses in the trial of former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae (54), who was indicted for inadequate response during the Itaewon disaster, consistently answered that it was not their duty or that they did not clearly remember.

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

The Criminal Division 11 of the Seoul Western District Court (Presiding Judge Bae Seong-jung) held the fourth trial session on the 30th for former Chief Lee and Park In-hyeok, former Team Leader of the 3rd Team at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency 112 Security Comprehensive Situation Room, who are charged with professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

On that day, police officers Jeong and Park, who worked at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency 112 Security Comprehensive Situation Room during the Itaewon disaster, appeared as witnesses. During the witness examination, it was revealed again that reports related to crush incidents in the Itaewon area were not properly communicated even within the police.

According to the prosecution, Jeong had previously testified to the Police Agency’s Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Investigation Unit) that "former Chief Lee’s response was inappropriate," but during the trial, regarding the failure to properly relay 112 reports to the scene, he said, "I am not a person with authority, so I am not in a position to comment."

When the prosecution asked, "Didn’t you say during the police investigation that former Chief Lee seemed to have misdirected?" Jeong replied, "As time has passed, I do not clearly remember." When Lee’s defense attorney asked, "Do you think you were not responsible for the radio orders not being transmitted to the situation team you worked in at the time?" Jeong answered, "I think I may have answered incorrectly during the police investigation."

Witness Park, who was assigned to the night shift on the day of the Itaewon disaster, responded to the question, "Is it normal procedure that most of the 11 reports were issued only through the computer system without radio orders?" by saying, "It is difficult for me to judge the orders team’s work," and added, "I was aware of the reports but did not foresee that an accident would occur."

Park was the first person to send information related to the Itaewon disaster to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Situation Room on the day of the disaster. However, he testified that he did not separately report the emergency situation to former Chief Lee or the Situation Room chief. In response to the prosecution’s criticism that he did not connect the reports related to the 'crush' to the police on the scene, he countered, "The scene was already taking measures. Regarding the orders, I did my best to communicate via radio."

The defense attorney for defendant Park, the Situation 3 Team Leader, emphasized that Park was not in a position to directly establish or propose countermeasures. Park also stated, "There had never been a crush accident in the Itaewon area before, and since it was an open outdoor space, I never thought such an accident could occur."

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