Police raid Mindeulle media outlet for disclosing list of Itaewon crush victims

Police on Thursday raided the office of Mindeulle, an online media outlet that disclosed a list of victims of the Itaewon crowd crush without the consent of their families.

Reporters of Mindeulle, an online media outlet that disclosed a list of victims of the Itaewon crowd crush without the consent of their families, protest against the police raiding their office in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Thursday morning. [NEWS1]

Police on Thursday raided the office of Mindeulle, an online media outlet that disclosed a list of victims of the Itaewon crowd crush without the consent of their families.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency conducted a search and seizure operation at Mindeulle's office in Mapo District, western Seoul, at 9 a.m. on Thursday, the city police announced.

The search warrant included charges on leaking confidential information for official purposes and violating the Personal Information Protection Act.

On Nov. 14, 2022, Mindeulle released the names of 155 deceased victims of the Oct. 29 Itaewon crowd crush on its website.

Lee Jong-bae, a Seoul city councilor and member of the People Power Party, accused the media outlet of violating the Personal Information Protection Act the following day. Conservative advocacy groups have also submitted complaints to the police over the same charge.

Mindeulle claimed in its statement on Thursday that the raid was "just for show" as it has no information other than the list of names.

BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]