<Anchor>



At the time of the Itaewon disaster, the head of the Yongsan-gu Health Center arrived at the scene an hour after the disaster.

However, it was confirmed that he did not give emergency relief and command at the scene, but turned to the ward office, saying, "There are a lot of people."



This is reporter Hwa Kang-yoon.



<Reporter>



At around 11:30 pm on the 29th of last month, more than an hour after the number of casualties started pouring in in Itaewon, Choi Jae-won, director of the Yongsan-gu Health Center, arrived at Noksapyeong Station near Itaewon at this time.



However, it was confirmed that he immediately entered the scene of the disaster and headed for the Yongsan-gu Office without emergency medical command or control.



He said the reason was "too many people".



[Lee Man-hee/People's Power Itaewon Accident Investigation Special Committee: There are too many crowds as we approach Itaewon Station, and we return to the ward office by our own judgment...

.]



At this time, the emergency medical support team DMAT of each hospital in the metropolitan area was already conducting relief measures at the site, and Director Choi, who returned to the ward office, arrived at the scene after midnight in an ambulance with other staff.



The 'Disaster Emergency Medical Emergency Response Manual' created by the Ministry of Health and Welfare stipulates that the head of the local public health center takes the first place in a disaster situation as the on-site emergency medical conductor.



[Kim Byung-min/People's Power Itaewon Accident Investigation Special Committee: Despite having to lead the emergency medical care, in the urgent situation, 'I am the head of the health center'

About the serious problem that went back to the ward office without entering the site while saying...

.]



Confusion ensued, with some rapid response teams unable to enter or locate the scene under police control while the on-scene commanders were wasting time on the road.



The Special Investigation Headquarters of the police investigating the Itaewon disaster said that they had not yet charged Director Choi, but said that the appropriateness of the follow-up measures by the public health center could also be within the scope of the investigation.