South Korea Holds Two-Day Itaewon Disaster Hearing

A two-day hearing of the Special Investigation Commission to uncover the truth about the Itaewon disaster opened on the 12th in central Seoul’s Banking Hall building. The session, focused on the Oct. 29, 2022 crowd crush in Itaewon, brought testimony from former Yongsan Police Station chief Lee Im-jae and other senior officials.

Lee Im-jae said that if the presidential office had not moved to Yongsan, “the possibility of such a disaster happening may have been much lower,” though he cautioned it was not 100 percent certain. He explained that during Halloween preparations, many officers were diverted to the presidential office relocation, contributing to fatigue and reduced response capability for his district.

The presidential office was relocated to Yongsan in May 2022, a move cited by Lee as having reshaped how police resources were allocated during major events. He stressed that the strain of the relocation limited what he could do within the available means, not as an admission of duty shirking but as a description of constraints.

Also testifying was Yoon Hee-geun, the former head of the National Police Agency, who apologized to the bereaved families and said he felt a broad moral responsibility as police chief at the time. Asked whether security was adequate on the disaster day, he acknowledged there was a gap and said that if danger had been anticipated, security deployment should have been adjusted accordingly.

Yoon noted that during Halloween there was no single organizer for the event, which implied a need for heightened police attention. He added that the police bore some responsibility for not sufficiently addressing the risks associated with the celebration.

The hearing is intended to scrutinize the preparedness and response of police, the fire department, and district offices before and after the disaster, with accountability in focus. In total, 54 witnesses and 23 references are slated to be questioned over two days.

Song Gi-chun, chair of the Special Investigation Commission, told attendees that “not everything is revealed yet” and that the commission will continue to uncover hidden facts and ensure there is no one escaping accountability. The session began with survivors speaking, including Min Seong-ho, whose testimony was described as calm but emotionally charged, illustrating the human toll of the tragedy.

For the U.S. audience, the proceedings underscore the importance of coordinated emergency response for mass gatherings and the potential impact of political and logistical decisions on public safety. The outcomes may influence how South Korea coordinates security with its alliance with the United States, including shared training and procedures for handling large-scale events and related supply-chain and security considerations in regional markets.