South Korean Police Officers Sentenced Over Deadly 2022 Halloween Crush

Three officers receive prison terms for negligence in handling Itaewon crowd disaster that killed 159 people.

The Seoul Western District Court sentenced former Yongsan police chief Lee Im-jae to three years in prison.
Two other police officers received a two-year prison term and a suspended two-year term for their roles in the tragedy.
The court ruled that the crush, which occurred in a narrow Itaewon alley, was preventable with proper crowd control measures.
Bereaved families criticized the acquittal of local ward officials, arguing they should also be held accountable.
A police investigation earlier this year found that authorities ignored warnings and failed to prepare for the large Halloween crowd.