South Korean police have arrested two senior officers for improperly responding to a deadly Halloween crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood, media reported on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th December, 2022) South Korean police have arrested two senior officers for improperly responding to a deadly Halloween crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood, media reported on Monday.
Park Sung-Min and Kim Jin-Ho, both former intelligence officers, are the first to be arrested in connection with the Itaewon incident, Yonhap news agency reported.
Park allegedly ordered the deletion of an internal report that contained advance warnings about the possibility of security problems during Halloween in an attempt to cover up inaction, the report read. Kim is suspected of forcing his subordinates to delete the report under Park's direction, according to the media.
The deadly crowd crush, which claimed the lives of at least 158 people, occurred on October 29 in the narrow alleyways of the popular nightlife district of Itaewon, as thousands gathered to celebrate the first post COVID-19 restriction-free Halloween festival.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol harshly criticized the police for their inadequate response to the tragedy, saying that they must take full responsibility for failing to prevent the incident. The police had reportedly received numerous reports about the crowds hours before the tragedy.
