South Korean court gives prison sentences to 3 police officers over deadly 2022 Halloween crush

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court has given three police officers prison sentences over their botched handling of a 2022 Halloween crush in a Seoul nightlife district that killed nearly 160 people. It was the first conviction of officials over the failure by authorities to prevent or adequately respond to the overcrowding in Seoul’s popular Itaewon district. No top-level officials have been charged or held accountable, prompting criticism from bereaved families and opposition politicians. The crush was one of the biggest peacetime disasters in South Korea. The court on Monday sentenced a former chief to three years in prison, another officer to two years in prison and gave a third officer a suspended two-year term for professional negligence resulting in death.