Special Issue, Investigation by Kim Gwang-ho, Director of Seoul Metropolitan Government, Next Week
The Special Investigation Headquarters (Special Edition) of the National Police Agency, which is investigating the Itaewon Halloween disaster, said that the operation of the Fire Agency’s “Central Emergency Rescue Management Group (management group)” was not carried out on the day of the disaster, and the seizure and search of headquarters the Fire Agency on the 25th. Early next week, Kim Kwang-ho, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, is expected to be summoned for questioning. It is interpreted that the investigation of the special issue is gradually going to the ‘top line’.
The special edition said it seized and searched six locations, including the Sejong Government Complex and the General Situation Room 119 of the National Fire Agency, after capturing the circumstances that official documents were forged in connection with the operation of this control group this afternoon. The control group is a temporary organization for total response in case of an emergency, such as issuing a fire mobilization order at central government level. As in this disaster, when the ‘3rd stage of firefighting response’ is announced, the fire department must organize and implement it.
However, the special edition believes that on the day of the disaster, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency was suspected of falsifying documents as if the control group was in operation, although it was not in operation in truth The special issue considers that the documents relating to the operation of the control group were written after the disaster, not at the time of the disaster. Through the search and seizure on the same day, the special issue obtained the fire department’s work records relating to the Itaewon disaster and the mobile phone of the person in charge.
Regarding this, an official from the National Emergency Management Agency refuted, saying, “The control group, which was activated when an earthquake occurred in Goesan, Chungcheongbuk-do on the morning of the accident, was expanded and implemented after the Itaewon disaster .”
Meanwhile, the special edition said, “As the person in charge of public safety in Seoul, you must ensure that the pre and post measures are appropriate,” and that they plan to call’ r Commissioner Kim as a witness early next week. for an investigation. Lee Im-jae, the former chief of the Yongsan Police Station, concluded that there was no fact that he asked the Seoul Metropolitan Government to use riot police on the day of the disaster. An official from the special issue said, “Apart from the former chief’s claim, there is no objective data or statements from related persons who can be considered to have ordered the request for the riot police.”
Reporter Kim Ki-yoon pep@donga.com
Reporter Sa Ji-win 4g1@donga.com
