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Yongsan District Chief Park Hee-young Under Fire for 'Presidential Office Picket Removal' Report on Day of Itaewon Disaster
Yongsan District Chief's 'Unusual Actions' on Day of Disaster
At 10:49 PM on October 29, 2022, precisely when the Itaewon disaster scene was filled with chaotic screams, then-Yongsan District Chief Park Hee-young sent an unexpected photo message. The message contained three photos of the wall in front of the Yongsan Presidential Office, meticulously cleaned. Two minutes later, District Chief Park sent a lengthy report message to an individual at the Presidential Office, stating, "Progressive groups are putting up pickets on the wall facing the Ministry of National Defense in Samgakji after the candlelight vigil. It's immense. We have urgently removed them all!!" The use of the expression 'immense' along with the 'ㅠㅠ' emoji in the message, interpreted as an expression of 'loyalty,' further fueled the controversy.
Controversy Over 'Conflicting Priorities' Amidst Disaster
At the very moment District Chief Park Hee-young was reporting the completion of leaflet removal in front of the Presidential Office, fatalities had already begun to occur in Itaewon, which was under her jurisdiction. A Level 1 Fire Response had been issued, creating an urgent situation with incessant sirens. This has drawn criticism that the Yongsan District Chief focused more on maintaining the 'mood' of the highest authority rather than ensuring citizen safety and managing the disaster scene, which should have been her primary responsibility. At today's hearing, the heartbreaking cries of Itaewon disaster victims' families, "If only it had been 10 minutes sooner...", erupted, and calls for honest and responsible answers regarding District Chief Park's actions are growing louder.
*Source: YouTube: JTBC News (2026-03-12)*
