Park Hee-young, mayor of Yongsan-gu. Reporter Yoon Chang-won
Circumstances were captured where senior officials of Yongsan-gu’s office, including Yongsan-gu mayor Park Hee-young, switched cell phones soon after the Halloween disaster. Police Special Investigations Headquarters (Special Edition) believes they have been systematically attempting to destroy evidence and are conducting an investigation.
According to police on the 16th, Yongsan-gu mayor Park Hee-young and Yongsan-gu chief assistant Mr. A bought new iPhones instead of their existing mobile phones on 5 last month, a week after the disaster.
Earlier on the 8th of last month, the special edition raided Mayor Park Hee-young’s office and confiscated the iPhone, but it was reported that Park did not provide the password to the police at the time.
On the 22nd of the same month, before the digital forensic, the special version requested the provision of a password to District Park, and it was revealed that District Chief Park only provided the password to the investigation team three days later.
A view of Yongsan-gu’s office. Provided by Yongsan-gu, Seoul
The special edition is investigating the possibility that after the disaster, Yongsan-gu Bureau officials prepared new mobile phones to cover their location and contact traces.
Mun In-hwan, head of the Construction and Transportation Security Bureau, in charge of regional security in Yongsan-gu, also got a new mobile phone and used it, saying he dropped it in the toilet after the disaster.
The Special Edition was reported to be considering a plan to apply for an arrest warrant for Yongsan-gu officers who replaced their cell phones, citing fears of destroying evidence.
