hankyoreh

Seoul. The groups say the investigation was biased and herald the “death of the prosecution

The prosecution placed blame for the Yongsan tragedy, in which five civilians and one police officer were killed last month, squarely on backs of the people involved in the protest, while clearing the police and public security authorities of any responsibility, citing their duty to protect the public. Protesters were indicted for the death of the police officer, but no punishments were given for the deaths of the five civilians.

The investigative division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office (headed by Senior Prosecutor Jeong Byeong-du) concluded its investigation into the incident with a press conference Feb. 9, at which it announced its indictment of 20 protesters and seven security guards hired by a private security company to evict tenants.

Though the prosecution placed blame for the incident on the protesters, it cleared police of legal responsibility for their actions. “It has been confirmed that the fire was started after protesters poured paint thinner on the makeshift rooftop tower and threw Molotov cocktails,” the prosecution said.

The prosecution also said that while it was regrettable the police were unprepared to carry out the incident, “it is difficult to say that police were directly responsible for the fire because it wasn’t a situation the police could control.”

Of the 20 protesters who were charged, three people, including a 44-year-old who is only identified as a surname Kim, who were the last to leave the rooftop tower were indicted for causing the fire, in which one police officer was killed. Two protesters, including a 42-year-old who is only identified by the surname Jo, were indicted for hurting other police officers. The remaining 15 protesters were indicted without arrest on charges of obstructing the authorities or violating a law on Molotov cocktails that makes throwing them illegal.

The prosecution did not charge any of the indicted protesters with the deaths of the five who died in the fire, “because it is difficult to confirm whether they intended to set the fire on the rooftop, given that there were still people present when the fire broke out.”

The prosecution also indicted, but did not arrest, seven security guards hired by a private security company to evict tenants and charged them with committing acts of violence. Two of those indicted, including the company’s 45-year-old general manager, who is only identified by the surname Heo, were charged with shooting water at protesters to prevent them from building the rooftop tower. The remaining five were charged with starting a fire in the building so that the gas would disperse protesters.

However, the prosecution also concluded that police could not be held responsible for permitting the security guards to use water cannons against the protesters.

The prosecution plans to continue its investigation into Lee Choong-yeon, 37, the head of the Countermeasure Committee for Displaced Tenants in Yongsan who was arrested for his role in the incident, and Nam Gyeong-nam, 55, the head of the Federation Against House Demolition (Jun Chul Yun). Prosecutors will also continue to investigate protesters who were hospitalized after the incident.

The families of those who died and civic organizations protested the outcome of the investigation, calling it “unbelievable.” Hong Seok-man, a spokesman for the Committee Against the Brutal Suppression of the Yongsan Demolition Protest, said, “With the outcome of the investigation, which has driven a nail into the hearts of the bereaved families of the victims, the prosecution has declared itself to be dead.”

Civic groups, including the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, held a press conference in front of the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, at which they said, “This is unacceptable because none of the authorities were held responsible for the deadly crackdown that was even more brutal than things that happened during the authoritarian rule of the past.” The groups were united in their call for either a parliamentary probe or an investigation by an independent counsel.

At the conclusion of the prosecution’s press briefing, Choi Gwang-hwa, a spokesman for the National Police Agency, said, “Though the police’s use of authority in defending the safety of citizens and law and order was unavoidable, we would like to express our apologies for causing people concern.”

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