JAKARTA - South Korean police said the lack of inadequate preparation and response was the main cause of the tragedy of the deadly Halloween celebration in Itaewon, Seoul last year that killed 159 people.
Halloween celebrations in Itaewon turned deadly on October 29 last year, after tens of thousands of young people packed the narrow alleys, to celebrate the first Halloween after three years of COVID-19 restrictions.
Authorities, including police, did not set up safety measures even though crowds caused an incident, not taking appropriate steps after calls for rescue began, said Sohn Je-han, who is leading the investigation.
"Mist of assessing the situation, the delay in sharing information and the lack of cooperation between overlapping relevant institutions, have caused many victims," Sohn told reporters.
A grieving family and opposition lawmakers criticized police investigations for failing to hold high-ranking officials accountable.
"We have so many unanswered questions," Lee Jong-chul, head of the group representing the family he left behind, told reporters when he arrived at the prosecutor's office in Seoul.
"We came here to provide a victim's statement, expecting a better and more extended investigation," he said.
Sohn said it was "difficult" to say city officials, national police, and the interior ministry overseeing South Korean police had violated their duties.
In December, South Korea's Parliament issued a motion calling for the dismissal of Interior Minister Lee Sang-min.
Lee Jung-min, the father of Lee Joo-young, 28, who died in the tragedy, said he wanted "an authorized official" to take responsibility.
"This means that the interior ministers, national police chiefs, even prime ministers - they all have to be held accountable," he said, citing the BBC.
His daughter is in Itaewon with his fianc, who fainted but survived. The couple was originally getting married this year.
"I am determined to get an apology from those in power, so that my daughter can close her eyes calmly. I have told her that you will do your best," said Lee.
However, Sohn said local governments, police, firefighters, and metro officials were among those who had "legal responsibility for preventing and responding to disasters".
Sohn's special investigative unit investigated 548 people and analyzed 180 videos from CCTV footage, social media and press material.
The first call to the police arrived at 6:34 p.m. local time, hours before the deadly event occurred, and there were at least 10 more emergency calls from the area over the next three and a half hours.
Records show police only mobilized officers for four of the 11 calls warning them of dangerous density levels.
Citing the New Straits Times from Yonhap, the 501-member investigative team began operations on November 1 and has checked district and police offices, firefighters and other related institutions in Yongsan, Itaewon, to find out the basis for the deadly accident.
Among those referred to the prosecutor's office with detention were the head of the Yongsan Park Hee-young Environmental Office and former head of the Yongsan Police Office Lee Im-jae, both on charges of professional negligence resulting in death.
Four other police officers and Yongsan officials were also referred to prosecutors with detentions, including former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) officials tasked with removing internal reports warning of Halloween densities and possible safety accidents.
The head of SMA Kim Kwang-ho, two other SMPA officers in charge of emergency monitoring, the head of the Yongsan Fire Station Choi Seong-beom, the head of the Yongsan public health center and the head of the Itaewon Ground Train Station were also among those who were referred to the prosecutor's office without detention for fatal professional negligence or other allegations related to careless responses.
After the case diversion, prosecutors are expected to carry out further investigations for potential charges to decide whether they will be tried.
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