◀ Anchor ▶
On the day of the disaster 10.29, officials from the Yongsan-gu Office tried to move to Itaewon after receiving a report that people were overcrowded.
But suddenly, the destination turned to the presidential office.
It turns out that this is because Park Hee-young, the mayor of Yongsan-gu, ordered, “Take leaflets criticizing the president as the president goes to work the next day.”
Reporter Kim Gun-hwi covered the story.
◀ Report ▶
The ‘10.29 Disaster’ when 159 people were sacrificed.
The prosecution’s indictment details Park Hee-young, the head of Yongsan-gu, on this day.
It was 8:59pm, about an hour before the disaster.
Mayor Park ordered in a chat room a group with secretarial staff to ‘go to the meeting site near the triangle area and collect leaflets’.
At this time, officers were preparing to respond to a call that it was crowded with cars and people in Itaewon.
However, according to the ‘mayor’s direction’, the destination was turned into the Korean War Memorial.
Officials removed leaflets criticizing President Yoon Seok-yeol attached to the wall.
Workers told the police that they had been instructed to remove the leaflets when the president went to work the next day.
Prosecutors said it was difficult to respond to reports of overcrowding in Itaewon because district office staff were picking up flyers under the direction of the district head.
Mayor Park arrived at the scene at around 11:00 pm
Nevertheless, the reaction in the field was also strange.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, the police and the fire department were not the target that Mayor Park called on the spot.
Unexpectedly, it was Kwon Young-se, Minister of Unification.
Minister Kwon Young-se is a lawmaker who has great influence in nominating the district head of Yongsan District.
Mayor Park has insisted that he is doing everything he can.
[박희영/용산구청장 (지난해 10월 31일)]
“We have made all our strategic preparations. The district office has done everything we can.”
A debate on the disaster was held in the National Assembly today.
The bereaved family still complained of their pain.
[김화숙/고(故) 김현수 씨 어머니]
“Do you think there are only 159 people? There are no people in the family who can live a normal life, such as grandmothers, older sisters, younger sisters, and brothers.”
The bereaved families repeatedly demanded that lawmakers join the 100-day memorial service this Sunday and an independent investigative body.
This is Kim Gun-hwi from MBC News.
Video editing: Seogho Woo
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