Itaewon disaster hearing opens in Seoul, seeking accountability from officials
A truth-seeking hearing into the 10.29 Itaewon disaster opened its first session in Seoul, more than three years after the tragedy, with a focus on accountability and lessons for public safety. The hearing took place at the Bankers’ Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, as the Special Investigation Committee for Truth-Finding and Prevention of Recurrence wrapped up Day 1 on March 12, 2026.
Families of the victims and civic groups pressed for accountability, saying the first day confirmed a pattern in which public officials from police, Yongsan District Office, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety did not take responsible, life-saving actions, and that there was no genuine commitment to prioritizing civilian safety.
Former Seoul Police Chief Kim Kwang-ho refused to take the oath as a witness, saying he would exercise his rights. The Special Investigation Committee subsequently decided to file a formal complaint against him for refusing to testify without a legitimate reason, framed as part of an accountability process.
The Itaewon Victims’ Families Association and the Itaewon disaster citizens’ coordinating body pointed to 11 reports of crush risk received on the disaster day, arguing that sub-stations, the Yongsan Police Station, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Analysis and Response Team did not respond, illustrating a broader “total security gap.”
Witnesses and materials, they said, pointed toward responsibility anchored in the Seoul Police Headquarters’ leadership, and they urged further investigation to determine accountability at higher levels and across related agencies, including whether the Presidential Security Office received notices and to what extent it intervened.
Beyond the police, the groups criticized the handling by Yongsan-gu Office, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and firefighting authorities as collectively inadequate, calling for deeper scrutiny in the second day of testimony.
On March 13, the hearing’s second day will continue, focusing on the post-disaster response and the steps taken to stabilize and manage the situation after the incident, with additional witnesses expected to testify.
Why this matters for the United States: the Itaewon hearings shed light on how South Korea’s public institutions handle large-scale crowd emergencies, accountability, and crisis communication. For U.S. readers, the proceedings offer indicators of how Seoul and its agencies coordinate across police, local government, and national security bodies during major urban disasters, with implications for international events hosted in Korea, risk management for multinational operations, and the reliability of public safety infrastructure that can affect investments, supply chains, and security partnerships tied to the U.S.–Korea alliance.