Prosecutors indict head of hotel adjoining site of Itaewon crowd crush
SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors indicted the head of a hotel adjoining the site of the deadly Itaewon crowd crush without physical detention Friday, amid allegations the hotel's illegally extended structures made the cramped area even narrower.
The 76-year-old head of Hamilton Hotel, surnamed Lee, was accused of illegally building structures near the main building of the hotel and occupying an adjacent road without permission, in violation of the building and road acts.
More than 150 people, mostly in their 20s, were killed in the Oct. 29 crowd crush on a downhill alley that runs along the side of the outer wall of the hotel.
Critics have said that the hotel's extended structures may have made the alley narrower.
So far, 17 officials or entities have been indicted in connection to the deadly accident, including former Yongsan Police Station chief Lee Im-jae and Yongsan Ward office chief Park Hee-young.

Police officers exit a downhill alley in Seoul's Itaewon district on Oct. 31, 2022, after examining the site of a crowd crush (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
N. Korea fires multiple cruise missiles toward East Sea: source
-
(LEAD) S. Korea fully restores bilateral military information-sharing pact with Japan
-
(2nd LD) N. Korea fires multiple cruise missiles toward East Sea: S. Korean military
-
S. Korea, U.S. set for 'largest-ever' live-fire drills to mark alliance's 70th anniv.
-
SsangYong Motor reborn as KG Mobility after takeover
-
Yoon puts S. Korea-Japan relations back on track
-
Japan's removal of export curbs on S. Korea to boost supply chain stability, ease biz uncertainties
-
Yoon's summit with Biden to highlight S. Korea's 'pivotal' role in region: U.S. experts
-
(News Focus) Solution to forced labor issue shows Yoon's commitment to improving ties with Japan
-
Seoul's controversial plan for forced labor compensation reflects urgency of security partnership with Tokyo: experts