Lee Im-jae (53), former chief of the Yongsan Police Station, who is considered a key suspect in the Itaewon disaster, was handed over to the prosecution today (30th) in a state of custody.
The Police Special Investigation Headquarters sent former chief Lee to the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office this morning on charges of business negligence and actual death, as well as the creation and event of false official documents.
Former chief Lee was arrested on the 23rd of this month on charges of increasing casualties by not preparing and responding to appropriate measures before and after the disaster, and for not correcting a situation report that falsely stated his arrival time at the scene.
Song Byeong-ju (51), former head of the Yongsan Police Station 112 Situation Department (police officer), who was in charge of the initial response to the disaster, was also sent that day.
Chief Song was arrested along with former chief Lee on charges of not taking appropriate safety measures, such as pushing a crowd of people pouring out of the road onto the sidewalk despite calling 112, announcing the danger of crushing death right before the disaster.
In addition, two police officers from Yongsan Police Station, including the head of the 112 Situation Team at Yongsan Police Station, who were booked as suspects related to the Itaewon disaster, were sent without detention.
The head of the 112 Situation Team was charged with failing to properly take safety measures for the crowds of the Halloween festival, and the Yongsan Police Station employee was charged with writing a false situation report related to the former chief.
The special version will soon be handed over to the prosecution for Park Hee-young (61), head of Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and Choi Won-joon, head of safety and disaster department at Yongsan-gu, who were arrested on the 26th.
The Seoul Western District Prosecutor’s Office plans to arrest and indict Park Seong-min (55), former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s public safety information foreign affairs department (police officer) and Kim Jin-ho (51), former head of the Yongsan Police Station (police officer), who are suspected of deleting the Halloween risk analysis report. is.
They are the first suspects to be handed over to trial in relation to the Itaewon disaster.
Park is suspected of instructing "to delete information reports in preparation for inspections and search and seizure as prescribed" in a messenger chat room gathered with former chief Kim and other police department information chiefs after the disaster.
Former manager Kim was accused of ordering a subordinate to delete an intelligence report under the direction of former manager Park.
The special edition arrested them on charges of destroying evidence and sent them to the prosecution on the 13th.
(Photo = Yonhap News)