“We are heavily accepting the voices of the people asking for a clear clarification of the cause and responsibility of the accident.
-22.11.4 Special edition 1st regular briefing, Son Je-won Head of Itaewon Special Investigation Headquarters
The Police Special Investigation Headquarters, which was launched on November 1 last year and has continued to investigate the 'Itaewon Disaster', announced that it would announce the final investigation results today (13th).
In effect, it is a declaration of 'end of investigation'.
Previously, the special edition mentioned that it would finish the investigation before the Lunar New Year holiday this year, but it was a week earlier than that.
Site managers arrested, higher authorities acquitted?
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First, let's look at what the special edition has revealed so far.
In connection with the Itaewon disaster, the special version arrested and handed over four people, including former Yongsan Police Station chief Lee Im-jae and Yongsan-gu district chief Park Hee-young, to the prosecution on charges of negligent manslaughter and injury in connection with the Itaewon disaster.
Meanwhile, Park Seong-min, former head of the Public Security Information Department of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (hereafter Seoul Metropolitan Government Information Department Chief) and Kim Jin-ho, former information chief of Yongsan Police Station (hereinafter Yongsan Police Station Information Division Chief), were arrested and brought to the prosecution on charges of ordering to delete reports warning of the danger of crowds before the disaster. They were sent, and they are indicted and awaiting trial.
In addition, on the day of the disaster, the head of the 119 response bureau and the head of the 119 general situation office of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, who were charged with falsely writing public documents related to the operation of the Central Emergency Rescue Control Group of the Fire Agency, will be handed over to the prosecution.
The problem is that most of the suspects belong to the Yongsan Police Station and the district office, that is, to work in the field.
The special version did not apply for an arrest warrant for Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Kwang-ho, who was the most senior among the police officials who were booked, and Yoon Hee-geun, the highest-ranking police officer, was not even booked at all.
The same is true of officials from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, including Minister Lee Sang-min, a higher-level institution, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
'An arrow of blame could be directed at the police'
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In this disaster, the police constantly tried to minimize criticism of the organization.
Two days after the disaster, a document was written and reported on the trends of major civic groups, and when the transcript of the 112 report was released on the same day, 'the arrow of blame may be directed to the police', so they urged to quickly check the reaction of the media and key officials.
Even the intelligence bureau ordered to collect and report on the operational status of the National Assembly partners and internal and external evaluations as well as actively contact executives of major media companies with the statement that "If you look at the media response of the National Assembly partners and the Spokesperson's Office, they are not playing a role at all as expected." I did.
Similar content was contained in the prosecution's indictment.
The former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's intelligence department, already arrested and handed over to trial, sent this message to police intelligence officials the day after the disaster.
“If the view is that it is because the police have insufficient career arrangements → insufficient preparation for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, lack of career experience in response to large-scale rallies and demonstrations on weekends, etc. are highlighted → there is a high possibility that the relocation to Yongsan will become a fundamental problem, and (omission) someone in the police Problems arise"
"If the organizers and local governments are blamed for their insensitivity to safety → The responsibility of the organizers and local governments will be strengthened, which will ease the burden on the police → Actions are needed to highlight the responsibility of the organizers and local governments through an active investigation drive."
The next day, these words continue.
"The police are not the primary responsibility for ensuring safety. It's a good logic to prevent the police from becoming security guards in the future, so we break the practice of the police taking part in maintaining safety at local festivals and events..."
The subject of investigation as well as the subject of truth-finding
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I do not believe that these statements and instructions are representative of the entire 130,000-member police force.
However, due to the adjustment of the investigative powers of the prosecution and the police, the police in this disaster became the subject of an investigation on themselves as well as the subject of truth-finding.
Of course, there is no choice but to point out whether it is a 'self-investigation' or a 'protection investigation'.
To make matters worse, as the aforementioned contents were exposed, the outside gaze toward the special edition became colder, and eventually it became a situation where the results of the investigation had to prove it.
Unfortunately, however, it seems difficult to overturn this perception only with the investigation results revealed by the special edition so far.
The special edition stated that the Yongsan-gu Office is primarily responsible for disaster prevention for a specific situation in a specific area called Itaewon. is.
In addition, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Gwang-ho decided to send the case without detention, saying, "The possibility of predicting the disaster was not greater than that of Yongsan Police Station."
Then, to the question of whether the autonomous police chairman and committee have the responsibility to set up measures to manage and prevent crowds in advance, he only replied, "I will tell you separately because the interpretation of the law is complicated and there are legal disputes."
So, after allegations of deleting the report and other side incidents are excluded, the highest rank among the police officials arrested for the Itaewon disaster itself is Lee Im-jae, former chief of Yongsan Police Station, that is, the senior police officer.
the direction of the investigation
Of course, it cannot be said that all of this is the responsibility of the special edition.
There must have been many difficulties in the investigation, and arrest does not determine the presence or absence of criminal responsibility, as the special edition explains, "You cannot say that you are not guilty if you are not arrested."
What determines the outcome of the special edition's investigation over the past 74 days will be the prosecution of the prosecution who eventually took over the baton, and the trial of the court.
On the 10th, the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office, which was forwarded to the case, launched a simultaneous search and seizure of 10 locations, including the National Police Agency's main office, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and Yongsan Police Station.
At the time of the disaster, we aimed directly at the computer-related department that stores 112 report recordings and radio communication records.
An official from the prosecution predicted an intense investigation, saying that he would reconfirm from the beginning throughout the investigation, including forensic, and thoroughly investigate the suspicions of the upper ranks.
We will continue to see whether the prosecution will make the same conclusion as the special version about the so-called'upper line', such as the police leadership and higher institutions.