Emergency monitoring officers quizzed over Itaewon crowd crush

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Yonhap) -- Police brought in two emergency monitoring officers for questioning Friday as part of their widening investigation into the bungled response to the crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood.

Former senior emergency monitoring officer at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), Ryu Mi-jin, appeared before a special investigation team in western Seoul as a suspect. She has been booked on a dereliction-of-duty charge.

Ryu is under suspicion of failing to promptly understand the situation on Oct. 29, resulting in the deaths of 158 people, mostly those in their 20s.

Another SMPA emergency monitoring officer surname Jeong also appeared for questioning.

Jeong, who is also booked for investigation, is under suspicion of belatedly reporting the situation to Ryu on the day.

Choi Seong-beom, chief of the Yongsan Police Station covering the Itaewon district, is set to appear for questioning later Friday for the second time.

Choi, who has been booked on charges of professional negligence, is accused of inaction in the face of police requests for a joint response.

khj@yna.co.kr
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