Yongsan police, fire chiefs grilled about Itaewon tragedy

Social Affairs

Published: 21 Nov. 2022, 15:45

Yongsan police, fire chiefs grilled about Itaewon tragedy

Former chief of the Yongsan Police Precinct Lee Im-jae, left, and Yongsan Fire Station Chief Choi Seong-beom, right, are seen walking into the office of the special investigation headquarters in Mapo District on Monday. [NEWS1]

The police questioned Lee Im-jae, former chief of the Yongsan Police Precinct, and Choi Seong-beom, chief of the Yongsan Fire Station, on Monday about the Itaewon Halloween tragedy.

At 8:45 a.m. Monday, Lee appeared at the office of the special investigation headquarters — set up by the National Police Agency to investigate the crowd crush that took 158 lives — in Mapo District and again apologized for the disaster.

“As the former chief and as a police officer, I feel sorry again and again,” Lee told reporters. “I will live with a guilty conscience for the rest of my life.”

Asked why he arrived late at the scene of the disaster on the night of Oct. 29 and whether the Yongsan Precinct really made a request for additional police personnel from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Lee replied that he would “participate diligently in the investigation” and headed into the office for questioning.

Lee is being investigated for not taking precautionary measures even though large crowds were expected in Itaewon on Halloween. Police are also probing why he didn't get to the scene until 50 minutes after the disaster. He has already been questioned on suspicion of professional negligence that lead to deaths.

During a meeting of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee meeting on Nov. 16, Lee said that it was around 11 p.m. on Oct. 29 when he was first informed of the Itaewon disaster and that he had not intentionally abandoned his duties.

The police are also looking at possible fabrication of reports saying that Lee had arrived at the scene immediately after the disaster, and whether requests for additional police personnel from the Yongsan Police Precinct had been made.

Lee told the National Assembly committee that a request had been made to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for more police personnel and that the Yongsan Police Precinct had been told that support was difficult because there were many protests happening in Seoul on the day of the disaster.

However, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has said that it did not receive such a request regarding Halloween from Yongsan.

In questioning Monday, Lee was asked to detail that request and whether there could have been a miscommunication.

If Lee’s testimony to the National Assembly committee proves false, he can be charged with perjury.

Choi Seong-beom, chief of the Yongsan Fire Station, also appeared at the special investigation headquarters in Mapo District at 9:40 a.m. and told reporters he would “respond to the investigation.”

Choi is suspected of professional negligence for not responding to police requests for a joint response immediately before the disaster and not responding appropriately during and after the Itaewon crowd crush.

The police questioned Choi on why a second stage of emergency response was not immediately called for during the disaster, and whether he had properly supervised the fire station's response.

Choi's was one of the most visible emergency response figures on the scene on Oct. 29. His efforts to manage the disaster were generally praised.

The police plan to wrap up a first round of questioning on Monday.

“We plan to complete additional summons and questioning by this week,” said an official from the special investigation headquarters.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]