The news reports detail the South Korean court’s decision to acquit the former Seoul police chief, Kim Kwang-ho, concerning his role in the 2022 Itaewon Halloween crowd crush. Here’s a summary of the key points:
Acquittal:
The Seoul Western District Court found Kim Kwang-ho, the former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, not guilty of professional negligence.
Two other lower-ranking police officers were also acquitted.
Court’s Reasoning:
The court stated that the prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Kim had violated his duties or that his conduct directly caused the high number of deaths and injuries.
The court also stated that although Kim recieved updates on the situation in Itaewon, that the information was not sufficient to make him recognize the potential for an incident of that magnitude.
Reactions:
The verdict sparked angry reactions from the families of the victims and their advocates, who criticized the court for not holding high-level officials accountable.
Groups representing the victims called the ruling “dishonest” and “impossible to understand,” and urged prosecutors to appeal.
Other Related Court Cases:
The same court had previously sentenced the former chief of the Yongsan police station to three years in prison and convicted two of his colleagues.
Also the court acquitted Park Hee-young, head of the Yongsan ward office, and three other ward officials.
Context of the Incident:
The 2022 Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon resulted in the deaths of nearly 160 people.
Investigations revealed failures in disaster planning and emergency response, including inadequate crowd control measures and ignored warnings.
Seoul police chief indicted over deadly Halloween crowd crush
Image Source: independent.co.uk
In essence, the court’s decision highlights the complex legal challenges in assigning responsibility for such large-scale disasters, and the emotional response it has generated from those affected.
Seoul police chief indicted for negligence over Itaewon Halloween
Image Source: cnn.com
South Korea: Seoul police chief acquitted over Halloween Itaewon
Image Source: bbci.co.uk
Ex-Seoul police chief acquitted of negligence in Itaewon crowd
Image Source: heraldcorp.com
South Korean court acquits former police chief over deadly crowd
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