Itaewon tragedy probe in limbo

Flowers and other memorial items are seen in the alley in Itaewon, Monday, where the massive crowd crush occurred on Oct. 29, killing 158 people. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Police officer commits suicide as probe team tries to hold frontline officers accountable for Itaewon disaster

By Lee Hyo-jin

Two weeks have passed since the launch of a police investigation into the Oct. 29 Itaewon crowd crush, but little progress has been made so far. Criticism is mounting as the probe is targeting frontline police officers, rather than high-ranking decision-makers, such as police chiefs or the interior minister.

As a special investigation team set up by the National Police Agency on Nov. 1 continues to look into related authorities to see if there were any inadequate responses before and during the crowd crush, a police officer under investigation was found dead in an apparent suicide.

A senior intelligence officer at Yongsan Police Station surnamed Jeong was found dead at his home last Friday. He was one of the seven suspects being investigated in connection to the Itaewon disaster, alleged to have ordered officers to destroy reports about concerns of possible overcrowding on Halloween weekend.

The report asking for support in crowd management was written by an intelligence team officer of the station on Oct. 26, three days before the nightmarish accident. Afterwards, Jeong allegedly ordered the official to delete the report, which was eventually destroyed.

The same day, an official from the safety support department at the Seoul Metropolitan Government was found dead at his home around 4:25 p.m. His main duty was managing safety measures for local festivals. Although the city government said his death was irrelevant to the ongoing probe, his colleagues wrote on an anonymous online community that he had been experiencing stress over handling the city's response to the Itaewon disaster.

A man walks up the alley in Itaewon, Monday, where the massive crowd crush occurred on Oct. 29. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Following the two deaths, criticisms escalated over the investigation team's "selective" probe, which has apparently been targeting low-ranking organizations and officials to hold them accountable for the crowd crush. The probe team has searched 66 facilities and offices including police stations, a fire agency, the district office and Seoul Metro headquarters, but the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have not been subject to any such searches.

In response, the probe team said it is reviewing relevant laws to see whether the interior minister could be held responsible, but reiterated its previous stance that more investigation is needed.

"We are looking into government organization laws and ordinances on agency commissioners under the supervision of the interior minister," Kim Dong-wook, spokesperson of the probe team, said during a media briefing on Monday. "We will expand the scope of our probe as soon as possible, based on facts identified through basic investigations."

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, meanwhile, showed few signs of stepping down. He is standing firm amid increasing pressure from opposition lawmakers to resign and take responsibility as chief of the ministry in charge of public safety.

"Doing my best in my current position is the best way for me to take responsibility," he said during a National Assembly session, Monday, reaffirming his unwillingness to resign. Earlier in the day, a labor union of firefighters filed a complaint against Lee for alleged professional negligence leading to deaths and injuries, as well as negligence of duty.

National Police Agency Commissioner Yoon Hee-keun, for his part, strongly denied that the police investigation is targeting only frontline officers.

"It is not true that frontline officers are being held accountable for the disaster. I believe that the probe will be conducted regardless of levels or ranks of organizations," he said in a written response to reporters.

From left, Rep. Joo Ho-young of the ruling People Power Party, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and Rep. Park Hong-geun of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea pose ahead of a meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. Yonhap

Parties clash over Assembly probe

The aftermath of the Itaewon tragedy has engulfed the National Assembly, as political strife continues between the rival parties over the launch of a special Assembly probe.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and two minor progressive parties ― the Justice Party and Basic Income Party ― submitted formal requests for the investigation on Nov. 9, which has been met by a fierce backlash from the ruling People Power Party (PPP).

While the opposition parties claim that the probe would look into the mishandling by the authorities and possible attempts to cover up or evade responsibility, the PPP viewed that the move is intended to politicize the tragic incident to rebuke the current administration.

The floor leaders of the ruling and the main opposition parties held a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, Monday, but failed to reach an agreement on the matter. But the DPK seeks to push ahead with the plan, supported by 181 lawmakers out of the total 300 assembly seats, without the PPP's consent.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the Itaewon crowd crush rose to 158 as of Monday, after one Korean woman in her 20s died on Sunday. Ten more patients are still receiving treatment in hospitals, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters.