SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean court ruled that the former head of the Seoul police and two other officers were not guilty regarding their flawed management of a deadly Halloween crowd incident that resulted in nearly 160 fatalities in 2022.
The decision by the Seoul Western District Court was met with outrage from the victims’ families and their supporters, who criticized the judiciary for not holding senior officials accountable for what many deemed a failure in crisis management and emergency handling that led to the tragedy.
Kim Kwang-ho, who was the highest-ranking officer within the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, faced serious allegations as part of over 20 police and government individuals indicted following the disaster in Itaewon, a vibrant area known for nightlife in the capital. Prosecutors had argued that he deserved a five-year prison sentence.
An inquiry conducted by the National Police Agency revealed a critical mishap in planning; police and city officials did not implement effective crowd management strategies, despite anticipating that over 100,000 attendees would flock to the Halloween festivities. On the incident day, only 137 officers were deployed in Itaewon. Furthermore, emergency hotline alerts from the public predicting the escalating crowd situation were disregarded. Once the crush occurred in a narrow alleyway near Hamilton Hotel, police failed to take control or facilitate access for paramedics to assist the injured promptly.
Experts have labeled the incident a “manmade disaster,” suggesting that it could have been avoided with straightforward measures, such as increasing the police presence, employing additional public personnel to monitor crowded areas, establishing one-way pedestrian routes, and restricting access to narrow paths.
In their ruling, the court found Kim not guilty of professional negligence, asserting that prosecutors had not substantiated claims that he had neglected his responsibilities or linked his actions to the overwhelming casualty figures. The court extended similar acquittals to the two lower-ranking officers charged with analogous offenses.
The Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families, representing those affected by the tragedy, characterized the verdict as “dishonest” and “incomprehensible,” urging for an appeal by the prosecution.
“We vehemently denounce the fact that high-ranking officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who neglected their obligations concerning prevention, preparation, and reaction despite the foreseen risk of a large gathering, have evaded accountability,” stated the group.
Earlier in the month, the same court imposed a three-year prison sentence on the former chief of the Yongsan district police station and found two other officers guilty of professional negligence leading to fatalities, emphasizing their lack of proper preparation and response during the crush. One of the guilty officers was also sent to prison, while the other received a suspended sentence.
In contrast, Park Hee-young, the head of the Yongsan ward office, along with three additional officials from that ward, were acquitted as the court determined they lacked the legal authority to control or disperse crowds.
