The former head of the Yongsan police station, Lee Im-jae, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his role in the deadly Itaewon Halloween crowd crush that claimed the lives of nearly 160 people in 2022, CNN reports.
This makes Lee the highest-ranking law enforcement official to be held criminally liable for the disaster.
The Seoul Western District Court found Lee guilty of neglecting his duty, leading to deaths and injuries, despite clear warnings of potential danger. The court concluded that Lee failed to implement adequate crowd control measures and neglected to deploy intelligence officials to the scene. He was also found to have delayed his response to the unfolding disaster.
The court’s decision comes after the earlier conviction of an intelligence officer to 18 months in prison for destroying evidence. Several other officers have also been found guilty of related charges.
The tragedy occurred on October 29, 2022, in the trendy Itaewon district, when a massive crowd surged into a narrow alleyway, causing a deadly crush. The majority of the victims were young South Koreans in their teens and early twenties.
Public outcry following the disaster focused on the lack of accountability, with criticism directed towards the government and the police for their inadequate response.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Seoul implemented new safety measures, including a new CCTV system to monitor crowd numbers. Other Asian cities, including Shibuya in Japan and Guangzhou in China, have also taken steps to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.
