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First Convictions in Seoul Halloween Disaster: Officers Guilty of Destroying Evidence

Three former police officers have been convicted for their roles in a cover-up following the 2022 Halloween crowd crush in Seoul, sparking calls for greater accountability.

In this photo taken early on October 30, 2022, rescue workers help a person (C) on a stretcher after a Halloween crowd crush that took place in a nearby alleyway in the popular district of Itaewon in Seoul. - Families of the Itaewon victims want answers about why authorities failed to prevent the catastrophe despite clear warning signs, with some families forming a group "to understand what really happened and to hold those officials responsible." But the internet interpreted their efforts to organise as an attack on the government, with right-wing trolls launching a coordinated counter-attack, accusing the families of being profiteers out for compensation, or anti-government forces. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) / To go with AFP story SKorea-internet-disinformation-accident,FOCUS by SHIM Kyu-Seok (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Three former police officers were convicted in Seoul for destroying evidence related to the 2022 Halloween crowd crush, marking the first convictions over the disaster.
  • The convicted officers had deleted internal reports warning of safety risks ahead of the Halloween celebrations, where nearly 160 people were killed.
  • The Seoul Western District Court sentenced the former senior intelligence officer to 18 months in prison, while his subordinates received suspended sentences.
  • Victims' families and civic groups have criticized the South Korean government's response to the disaster, calling for greater accountability.
  • Experts have labeled the crush a 'man-made disaster' that could have been prevented with better planning and crowd control measures.