hankyoreh

Yoon Hee-keun, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, bows after delivering a statement and announcing plans regarding the deadly crowd crush in Itaewon from the agency’s headquarters in Seodaemun District, Seoul, on Nov. 1. (Kim Hye-yun/The Hankyoreh)

“Are the police the only ones responsible? Do the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Yongsan District Office, and the fire authorities bear no responsibility at all?”

With the offices of the Korean National Police Agency chief and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency chief under a search and seizure for the first time in the police’s history, front-line police have been voicing disgruntlement. While acknowledging that police bear some responsibility for the Itaewon disaster, some officers of the law are protesting that imposing excessive responsibility singularly on the police is an attempt by other related authorities to evade blame.

The Hankyoreh spoke to senior police officers across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday about the raids of the offices of National Police Agency chief Yoon Hee-keun and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency chief Kim Kwang-ho.

“It’s strange that the police chief is not resigning, given that as many as 156 people died in Itaewon,” said a police superintendent in Seoul.

“From the perspective of the people, not from the perspective of police officers, it is right that he resigns,” they added.

One officer in South Gyeongsang Province particularly stressed the responsibility of the chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

“This disaster occurred because the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency considered the security of the presidential office and the management of nearby rallies more important than the crowd on Halloween Day,” he said.

Meanwhile, some voiced that it would be better for police chiefs to manage the situation while maintaining their positions.

“Now’s not the time for chiefs Yoon and Kim to turn in their badges. They are not suspects, after all. Once they become the subjects of investigation, then they will have to resign, but for the time being, it’s more important that they take care of the situation,” said a front-line officer in Seoul.

Another officer commented, “Unlike the chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the National Police Agency chief should focus on handling the situation rather than resigning.”

“The whole country will be shaken if the top position at the National Police Agency is left vacant,” he added.

Many police officers expressed dissatisfaction with the lion’s share of blame being placed on the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the Yongsan Police Station, saying, “It seems that the authorities are trying to place all the blame on the police.”

In particular, these police officers said they were disappointed at the Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, who said he would create and command a police bureau in the ministry yet did not claim any responsibility for the disaster.

“Looking at the results of the disaster, it feels like the blame for the problem is being put all on the police,” said an officer from North Jeolla Province. “I am doubtful that the Ministry of Interior and Safety’s police bureau, which is in charge of overhauling the police’s reporting system, holds no responsibility at all.”

Another officer remarked, “Minister Lee had said that ‘the police must be commanded’ as he established the police bureau. But now he is showing no signs of regret and acts like it is not his business.”

“It’s a big case so no one is talking, but the police officers on the scene are full of anger, regret, and sadness at Minister Lee’s management that shifts all the blame to the police,” he said.

One officer pointed out, “President Yoon seems to be only focused on figuring out who is criminally responsible as if he were a prosecutor.”

“Is it truly okay to let the prime minister and minister of the interior and safety, who must bear political responsibility, shirk off all accountability just because they are not criminally responsible?”

By Chai Yoon-tae, staff reporter; Ko Byung-chan, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]