Seoul, South Korea
CNN
—
Two former law enforcement officials have been arrested in South Korea on Monday, accused of destroying proof regarding the lethal Halloween crowd crush in Seoul, in response to authorities within the nation.
The arrests of former intelligence officers Park Sung-min of the Seoul Metropolitan Authorities and Kim Jin-ho of Yongsan Police are the primary in an ongoing investigation into the catastrophe that killed 158 folks in October.
They allegedly ordered their subordinates to destroy an inner report in regards to the dangers stemming from a big crowd gathering in Itaewon throughout Halloween festivities.
The 2 officers have been already dismissed from their posts in November over their dealing with of the Itaewon incident. Beneath the phrases of arrest warrants for the pair issued by a Seoul courtroom on Monday, prosecutors now have 10 days to file prices.
Most of these killed within the October 29 crush have been younger adults and youngsters, who have been amongst tens of 1000’s of partygoers that poured into Seoul’s Itaewon district to have fun Halloween. Many grew to become trapped because the slender streets clogged up, with survivors and witnesses saying there was little police presence or crowd management till it was too late.
On Monday, the courtroom additionally denied arrest warrants for former Yongsan Police officer Lee Im-jae – who was chief of the station – and former emergency monitoring officer Tune Byung-joo. Each are underneath suspicion {of professional} negligence in relation to the group crush leading to deaths and accidents.
In dismissing the warrants, the courtroom cited a low probability of Lee and Tune destroying proof or fleeing. They continue to be underneath investigation.
Following the catastrophe, a particular police unit was fashioned to research what went incorrect – with officers raiding police stations and workplaces throughout the capital, gathering inner police stories and paperwork about emergency calls.
In accordance with these name logs, not less than 11 emergency calls – rising more and more pressing – have been made to the police, pleading for crowd management, then for rescuers. The primary calls got here as early as 4 hours earlier than the tragedy unfolded.
Each native and nationwide authorities have since confronted rising public anger and calls for for accountability, with some folks calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s elimination over the tragedy.
CNN reporter returns to Itaewon’s slender alley in the future after the Halloween catastrophe. See what’s it like
“I’m desperately asking the politicians of this nation. When you’re critical in regards to the ache of the bereaved, it’s essential to turn into sincere. It is advisable to conduct a correct investigation and apologize to our youngsters,” the mom of 1 29-year-old sufferer stated at a information convention on November 22. Holding her son’s dying certificates, she stated the precise trigger, timing and placement of his dying remained unknown.
Different bereaved mother and father on the information convention, represented by the non-profit group Minbyun, described their very own difficulties within the course of; one father stated it took him 17 days to attach with different bereaved households, claiming the federal government was not offering ample help.
When requested about these claims, an official from the presidential workplace stated a radical investigation “ought to be performed,” and the federal government was trying into offering additional compensation and luxury “if the scope of duty and the authorized perpetrator are clarified.”
