For Families of Itaewon Crowd Crush Victims, Verdicts Are a Bittersweet Win

Bereaved relatives of the victims of a deadly 2022 crowd crush in South Korea expressed mixed emotions this week after three former police officers were convicted of destroying evidence connected to the episode, in which nearly 160 people died in Seoul. Dissatisfaction over the slow pace of the inquiry and the perceived leniency of the sentences was mingled with relief that someone, at last, had been held to account.

On Wednesday, a court found the three former officers guilty for their roles in deleting an internal report that warned of the potential for hazardous situations during that October weekend’s Halloween festivities. Though others have been indicted, these officers are the first people to be convicted of any crime related to the episode.

The verdicts were an unexpected win for the victims’ family members, who had waited more than 15 months and were starting to lose faith that anyone would ever be held responsible.

“It was a long wait, but it’s a meaningful outcome in that the court has clearly outlined where the police went wrong,” said Lee Jeong-min, the head of an association for the bereaved families. “It sets a precedent and may influence the upcoming proceedings.”

Numerous officials are still likely to face a day in court. Last month, Kim Kwang-ho, the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, was indicted on a charge of contributing to the crush through negligence. He is the most senior official so far to face criminal charges related to the disaster.

While families are relieved and hopeful that this is only the start of justice being served, they also say the punishments should have been harsher, according to Yun Bok-nam, a lawyer representing them.