20-1-2024 (SEOUL) The chief of police in Seoul, Kim Kwang-ho, has been charged with professional negligence in connection with the tragic Halloween crush of 2022, which claimed the lives of nearly 160 people. The announcement was made by prosecutors at the Western District Prosecutors’ Office in the South Korean capital.
The incident occurred on October 29, 2022, when tens of thousands of people, primarily in their 20s and 30s, gathered in Seoul’s Itaewon nightlife district to celebrate the post-pandemic holiday season. However, the festivities took a tragic turn as the crowds converged into a narrow, sloping alleyway between bars and clubs, resulting in over 150 individuals being crushed to death due to the sheer weight and the lack of effective crowd control measures.
According to the statement released on Friday (January 19), Kim Kwang-ho, as the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), stands accused of professional negligence resulting in injury or death. The statement highlighted that Kim failed to take necessary measures, such as deploying an adequate number of police forces and ensuring proper command and supervision on the day of the incident. It was also noted that Kim should have foreseen the potential dangers arising from overcrowding in the nightlife area.
While Kim is the highest-ranking police official to face trial in connection with the tragedy, he has been charged without detention. In January of last year, Kim and 22 other officials from the police, rescue, and district offices were referred to the prosecution by a special police investigation team for their alleged involvement in the mishandling of the crowd crush.
The heads of the police station in Seoul’s Yongsan district, which includes Itaewon, and the Yongsan Ward office were previously charged by prosecutors. However, the decision on whether to charge Kim had been pending for over a year.
In Friday’s statement, it was stated that Kim, along with the chief of the Yongsan Police Station and the head of the Yongsan Ward office, collectively caused the deaths of 158 individuals and injuries to 312 individuals as a result of professional negligence. The families of the victims expressed their disappointment with the lengthy decision-making process and called for Kim’s immediate resignation and trial. They also urged President Yoon Suk Yeol to dismiss Kim from his position.
South Korea, known for its rapid transformation from a war-torn country to Asia’s fourth-largest economy and a global cultural powerhouse, has faced a series of preventable disasters that have eroded public confidence in authorities. The 2022 crowd crush incident joins the list of tragic incidents, including the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking that claimed the lives of 304 people.
