Prosecution seeks jail term for demolition employee over fire tragedy

SEOUL, April 14 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Tuesday sought a one-year jail
sentence for an employee of a demolition company for having unduly engaged in a
police raid that left six people dead.
A police SWAT team raided a dilapidated four-story building late January in
Seoul's central Yongsan Ward to evict dozens of squatters opposing the
redevelopment of the area. Six people, including a police officer, were killed in
the blaze that occurred during the pre-dawn raid. Seoul's then police chief, who
had been tapped to head the National Police Agency, resigned over the tragedy.
One of the defendants, identified only by his surname, Hur, was found to have
intervened in the police operation by his own will, ordering his subordinates to
fire water cannons at the protesters to stop them from building a hideout a day
before the deadly raid. He was an employee of the company contracted to demolish
the building.
Another employee was fined 3 million won (US$2,300), also for interfering with
the police operation.
The defendants had said the police did not stop them.
Prosecutors concluded that the fire was caused by the protesters' mishandling of
paint thinners used in makeshift bombs. They indicted 20 protesters while
exonerating the police of any wrongdoing, despite accusations that police went
ahead with the raid knowing the protesters had flammable materials.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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