Former Seoul police chief Kim Kwang-ho acquitted in Itaewon crowd crush case

The Seoul Western District Court on Thursday found Kim Kwang-ho, the former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, not guilty in connection with the deadly Itaewon crowd crush.

Bereaved relatives of victims of the Itaewon crowd crush shed tears in front of the Seoul Western District Court in Mapo District, western Seoul, after the local court found the ex-chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency not guilty on Thursday. [NEWS1]

The Seoul Western District Court on Thursday found Kim Kwang-ho, the former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, not guilty in connection with the deadly Itaewon crowd crush.

Kim was the highest-ranked police officer to face criminal charges regarding the tragedy.

The crowd crush of Oct. 29, 2022, claimed the lives of 159 people who had gathered in central Seoul's Itaewon nightlife area in Yongsan District for Halloween celebrations.

Two other police officers who worked at the agency's 112 situation room, Ryu Mi-jin and Jeong Dae-kyung, were acquitted on the same day.

Earlier this year, the three officers were indicted on charges of occupational negligence.

In September, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office demanded five years of imprisonment for Kim and three-year and 2.5-year prison terms for Ryu and Jeong, respectively.

On Thursday, the court said prosecutors had not proven Kim violated his duty to warn the police directly and specifically about the potential crowd crush hazard.

The judge said Kim could have only understood that a mass crowd would gather in the Itaewon area between Oct. 28 and 30, considering reports and text messages forwarded to Kim by relevant divisions of the Seoul police agency and the Yongsan Police Precinct.

The judge said, “It is hard to affirm that Kim failed in his responsibility as he ordered the agency’s patrol division to review the crowd management safety plan twice.”

It said his agency arbitrarily thought there was "no need for the plan" and that the Yongsan Police Precinct prepared a report stating it had sufficient personnel to maintain public safety.

Kim Kwang-ho, former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, enters the Seoul Western District Court on Thursday in Mapo District, western Seoul. [NEWS1]

Yet, the court ruled that the defendants bear political and ethical responsibilities.

The judiciary said the Itaewon crowd crush “shattered the public’s belief and trust that the nation would protect their safety and help them return to their daily lives after spending an entertaining time.”

“While society places more responsibility on state authorities to prevent social disasters, governing rules and manuals are quite vague,” the court said.

After the court's verdict on Thursday, bereaved relatives criticized the ruling, blaming the court for "exonerating" the police.

Some families protested and blocked Kim’s car from leaving the court’s compound in Mapo District in western Seoul.

“How should we interpret the verdict which denies the crime when there is a problem,” said Lee Jeong-min, a representative of an association of bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy. Lee added that the victims “had asked the police multiple times to help them survive.”

As of Thursday, local courts have ruled that only the Yongsan Police Precinct committed occupational negligence in protecting public safety.

In February, one senior intelligence police officer from the agency and two intelligence officers from the precinct were convicted of issuing orders to tamper with the evidence and undertaking such actions.

The court cleared officials from the Yongsan District Office of criminal charges for professional negligence last month.

Update, Oct. 17: Added details about the latest court ruling and background details of the Itaewon crowd crush. Also, photos were replaced.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]