Relocation of S. Korea presidential office diverted police from Itaewon before fatal crush: Audit
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People walking through an alley in Itaewon where the Halloween crowd crush in 2022 killed 156 people.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL – The relocation of the South Korean presidential office to central Seoul’s Yongsan-gu under former president Yoon Suk Yeol increased the need for police deployments at nearby protest sites.
This left no officers specifically assigned to secure safety in Itaewon on the night of Oct 29, 2022, when a horrific crowd crush killed 156 people, according to a final report from a governmental joint audit released on Oct 23.
The report also said that police and local officials failed to properly manage safety operations on the day of the disaster.
The joint task force
According to the findings, the relocation of the presidential office, which had previously been at a more northern area of Seoul in Cheong Wa Dae, led to increased demand for police at nearby protest sites, leaving no officers assigned to the Itaewon area for the purpose of public safety on the night of the tragedy.
In addition, district officials, including the chief, failed to demonstrate leadership immediately after the disaster.
As a result, key emergency response systems did not function properly.
Authorities said they will seek to take disciplinary or other appropriate actions sought against 62 public officials found to have engaged in misconduct during the disaster response and subsequent handling of the tragedy.
The investigation was coordinated by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, with participation from the Interior and Safety Ministry and the Korean National Police Agency under the instruction of President Lee Jae-myung, who took office on June 4. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
