In brief
On Thursday, the Western Seoul District Court ruled in favor of Kim Kwang-ho, former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who faced allegations of negligence connected to the Halloween crowd crush in 2022 that claimed 159 lives. The court’s panel determined there was insufficient evidence that Kim willfully ignored his responsibilities to avert the disaster. Kim resigned from his post following his indictment in January, marking him as the highest-ranking official to face legal implications from the incident, which is recognized as one of South Korea’s most devastating peacetime calamities.
The tragic event occurred on October 29, 2022, as throngs of young revelers gathered in the vibrant Itaewon district for a Halloween celebration, following easing of pandemic restrictions. The celebration turned deadly when the swelling crowd became trapped in a narrow alley, resulting in a dangerous crush. In the wake of the tragedy, 23 individuals—including police and civilian officials—have been indicted after a national police investigation; however, families of the victims express dissatisfaction with the accountability measures, labeling the inquiry as insufficient.In a related trial, another former official, Lee Im-jae, the former chief of Yongsan District police, was sentenced to three years in prison for his negligence contributing to the fatalities, while Park Hee-young, local district mayor, was acquitted. Displeased with the outcomes, prosecutors have appealed Lee's sentence and are considering a similar move regarding Kim's verdict, with a two-week deadline to proceed. Furthermore, a new law was enacted in May, paving the way for an independent panel to conduct a new investigation, responding to public outcry from victims’ families about the existing inquiry’s shortcomings.
