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is also controversial why the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's task force, which is in charge of maintaining order, was not deployed even though a crowd was expected.

The Yongsan Police Station claims that it has requested the Seoul National Police Agency to deploy a task force, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency refutes that only the traffic task force was requested, not the task force.



Reporter Sohn Ki-joon reports.



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is a document prepared by the Women's and Youth Division of the Yongsan Police Station on the 28th of last month, one day before the disaster, which SBS obtained.



This is a summary of the contents of the meeting two days ago when the police, merchants' association, ward office, and Itaewon station manager gathered ahead of the Halloween event. In other words, it said that about 120 people are waiting'.



A police official who attended the meeting told SBS reporters, "The Yongsan Police Station executive told the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency that they needed support for the Mobile Police to manage the crowd, so even though the number of personnel is not the same as last year, it will be supported again this year," said SBS reporters. .



It is said that Yongsan Station has requested in advance the dispatch of a task force belonging to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, a manpower to maintain order.



Last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency deployed 3 companies of the task force, about 180 people, to Itaewon during the Halloween event for the reason of the corona prevention measures.



However, during this Halloween period, only 20 traffic squadrons were deployed exclusively for road flow, such as vehicle control, and there was no task force to manage crowds at assembly sites, etc.



A police officer belonging to the Itaewon police box also posted a message on the internal police bulletin board saying, "I requested the Seoul Metropolitan Government to support the riot police, but I understand that they did not apply."



The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency refuted these claims by police officers in Yongsan.



An official from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said, "Yongsan-seo only officially requested a mobilization force, and never requested the deployment of a task force."



As the two sides' arguments differ over whether the task force is requested or not, it is expected that the facts will be revealed through future inspections and investigations.