Seoul, Nov. 22 (BNA): Police brought in the head of the public health department at Yongsan Ward’s office for questioning on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the failed response to a crowd rally in Seoul’s Itaewon district.
Yonhap reported that Choi Jae-won, who works as director of health at the ward office covering Itaewon District, appeared before a special investigation team on suspicion of arriving at the crowd site late.
Choi is also suspected of returning to the ward office building without taking proper measures on site that day, resulting in the death of at least 158 people, most of them in their twenties.
According to the emergency manual issued by the Ministry of Health, he is responsible for directing firefighters and other members of the disaster medical assistance team to the scene in the event of a disaster.
The team also said it notified Choi Seong-beom, the chief of the Yongsan Fire Station, to appear for questioning again on Saturday.
Officers said Choi, who had been questioned for nearly 13 hours the day before, is accused of inaction in the face of police demands for a joint response the night of the incident.
He was booked for professional negligence.
Police are also preparing to bring in Lee Im-jae, who previously headed the Yongsan Police Station, for questioning again this week.
Lee was booked for professional negligence and manslaughter by negligence resulting in death.
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