Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Interior and Safety, was the first person to be criticized by public opinion for the theory of responsibility for the Itaewon disaster.
On the 30th of last month, the day after the disaster, he attended an emergency briefing presided over by Prime Minister Han Deok-soo and said, "Compared to the previous year, there was not a large crowd that was particularly worrisome." It wasn't," he said.
Accusations of trying to shift the blame for the disaster have been pouring in.
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Minister Lee's 'stiff' attitude turned 180 degrees two days later.
On the morning of November 1, at the meeting present at the National Assembly Administrative Safety Committee's current issue report, he said, "As the Minister of State responsible for public safety for this accident, even though the state has an unlimited responsibility for the safety of the people, I express my sincere apologies to the people. I'll give it to you." He bowed his head.
Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun of the National Police Agency also acknowledged the poor response of the police in the morning of the same day and apologized to the public.
The reasons for the police shift were revealed hours later.
A transcript of the report received on the day of the Itaewon disaster was released.
From around 6:30 in the evening, about four hours before the accident, reports of "I think I'm going to be hired" and "I want the police to take control" started pouring in.
Until just before the accident, only 11 cases of citizens' reports containing urgent voices were disclosed by the police.
The police, who repeatedly said they would check it, recorded it in the 112 situation room data as "I spoke to the reporter and did not need police help" and "Consultation ended after confirmation."
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It has been confirmed that not only Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min and Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun of the National Police Agency, but also the presidential office received a report of 112 transcripts the night before the apology to the public.
It is said that the poor response of the police was not understood until only one day after the accident occurred.
A serious loophole has been discovered in the police reporting system.
It is said that the police decided to release the 112 transcript only after the instructions of President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was furious after receiving the report, were given.
Under the direction of the Chief of Police, the police have started a special inspection.
The subjects of investigation so far have been Superintendent Ryu Mi-jin, who was the 112 situation manager on the day of the disaster, and Lim-jae Lee, Chief of the Yongsan Police Station.
The inspection team is aware that Superintendent Ryu did not work in the 112 Situation Room.
Lim-jae Lee, the head of the Yongsan Police Station, is accused of arriving late at the scene of the accident and failing to conduct proper command and management.
The fact that the top management ordered the inspection is also interpreted as meaning that the police did not report what should have been done in the working line of the police.
It is said that the key issue that the 112 report was received from 6 pm was not reported to the upper management immediately after the disaster occurred.
Since even Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun found out too late, it seems to be a self-evident fact that Minister Lee Sang-min would not have been able to report 112 as well as understand the police's initial response.
The day after the disaster, Minister Lee Sang-min's 'brave' remarks also appear to have been due to omission.
The most puzzling thing is the fact that the most basic 112 report was not delivered to the upper line through any of the lines within the police, where the main office and front-line officers have a multi-faceted reporting system up to the 112 situation room in addition to the general reporting line.
The first thing the special inspection should check is to find the person who did not report the 112 report to Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, immediately after the disaster.
A precise inspection is required to determine whether it is Kim Gwang-ho, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, a person in charge of the 112 Situation Room or the chief of Yongsan Police Station.
A key issue to be investigated is whether the police's omission of reporting is deliberate cover-up or business negligence.
Conscious of the theory of police responsibility, it is necessary to investigate whether the contents of the 112 report were intentionally hidden or a discipline problem caused by the negligence of the people in charge during working hours.
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The Itaewon disaster caused the police to lose a lot.
By omitting the most basic 112 report, you fooled the ministers of the country and the chief of the National Police Agency.
Public trust has fallen due to the easy response of the state agencies that enforce public power.
The most fatal thing is that the police blew up 11 chances of being dispatched four hours before the disaster.
Of course, the reason for the omission of reporting and the different ranks do not seem to reduce the size of the police responsibility.
To that end, many young people have unfortunately lost their lives without the protection of the state.
And in the atmosphere of national remembrance, the police collected information on civic groups and media trends that were thought to have disappeared, and told the presidential office that the Itaewon disaster could highlight the theory of government responsibility similar to that of the Sewol ferry disaster. suggested.
(Photo = Yonhap News)