Yongsan probe picks up speed
The
prosecution yesterday spurred the investigation into the latest fatal clash
between the police and squatters with calls for the authorities to conduct a
"transparent" and "objective" probe.
The
Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which is in charge of the case,
said it is trying to conduct a multi-dimensional investigation to find out
exactly what had happened on Tuesday and who should be responsible for the
deaths of six people.
Authorities
have already questioned the 20 or so protesters who were at the scene, along
with members of the police special unit. They are now focusing on what caused
the fire in the watchtower the protesters built to protect themselves during
the clash with the police. The fire is thought to have been the direct cause of
the six deaths.
Jeong Byeong-doo, a prosecutor at the
district prosecutors' office, yesterday said the prosecution has gained
evidence that the protesters - with the help of a nationwide body specializing
in rallies for squatters - practiced assembling and disassembling the
watchtower, suggesting that the protesters had been systematically preparing
for the showdown.
Citing the direction of the investigation, civic groups
and the families of those who died during the scuffle claim that the
authorities are trying to come up with evidence that the squatters were at
fault for the clash.
The
prosecution rebutted the claims, saying it is also investigating into whether
the crackdown was harsher than necessary, as special unit forces were committed
just 25 hours after the sit-in started.
Negotiations
between squatters and authorities can go on for months. On Monday, around 40
squatters staged a sit-in demanding compensation for the loss of their homes
and businesses from a planned urban redevelopment project in Yongsan. Six, including one police officer, were killed,
and almost two dozen more were injured.
The
tragedy came just days after President Lee Myung-bak
nominated a hardliner confidante to head the National Police Agency.
President
Lee yesterday again expressed his condolences to the families of those who
died. He has postponed reshuffling to fill empty Cabinet posts until the
situation is under control.
"It
is heartbreaking and very lamentable that lives were lost in such a tragic
incident," the president said in a meeting with his top presidential
secretaries, according to an official who asked not to be identified.
Kim
Seok-ki, tapped on Sunday to be promoted as head of
the country's police agency, is under pressure to step
down for using excessive force against the squatters.
A
Cheong Wa
Dae official confirmed that the nomination will not
be withdrawn unless he is found to be directly responsible for the deaths of
the six people.
Kim
said on Tuesday he will take responsibility if found to be at fault.
The
families of victims who died in a fire during a standoff with police have
demanded the government reprimand officials who were involved in the incident.
Rival
parties also are in deadlock over how to deal with the deaths, and whether the
police agency head nominee should be held accountable.
Kim's
confirmation hearing is slated for early next month.
A
parliamentary committee on public safety affairs said it would try to persuade
Kim to voluntarily appear and be held accountable for the incident.
Source:
Korea Herald