Osong Tragedy: Families File $13 Million Lawsuit, Seek National Reckoning

Osong Underpass Tragedy: Families Seek $13 Million in Damages from State and Local Governments

Families of the victims and survivors of the July 2023 Osong underpass tragedy have filed a lawsuit seeking a total of ₩17.4 billion (approximately $13 million USD) in damages from the state and local governments, demanding a clear determination of responsibility and the implementation of measures to prevent future occurrences. The lawsuit emphasizes that the tragedy was not merely a natural disaster but a man-made one (人災), focusing on legally proving that negligence and inadequate response by the state and local authorities led to the disaster. Through the lawsuit, the families are demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances, punishment for those responsible, and substantial improvements in victim support. They particularly point out that the inadequate response by relevant authorities at the time of the accident exacerbated the damage, strongly urging system improvements to prevent similar accidents in the future. They intend to use this lawsuit to raise awareness of safety complacency throughout society and emphasize the need to establish a social system that prioritizes the lives and safety of citizens. Furthermore, they plan to publicize the issues revealed during the lawsuit to stimulate social discussion and act as a catalyst for improving relevant laws and regulations.

The main issue in the lawsuit is expected to focus on the problems in the state and local governments' disaster prevention and response systems, and the determination of responsibility. The families point out that the risk of flooding from the Miho River had been raised several times before the accident, but the relevant authorities failed to take appropriate preventive measures. They also argue that confusion and inadequacy in the initial response process after the accident worsened the damage. To support these claims, the families plan to secure various materials and testimonies related to the situation at the time of the accident and construct a legal argument based on expert advice. In particular, they will focus on proving the responsibility of the state and local governments by comprehensively analyzing testimonies from on-site personnel at the time, reports from related organizations, and media reports. In addition, they plan to propose measures to improve the system to prevent similar accidents from recurring and demand improvements by pointing out problems in the victim support system. The families have expressed their intention to use this lawsuit not only to receive financial compensation but also to raise safety awareness throughout society and strengthen the disaster prevention system.

The inclusion of Cheongju Mayor Lee Bum-seok as an individual defendant in this lawsuit is drawing even greater attention. The families argue that Mayor Lee Bum-seok failed to properly fulfill his role as the person responsible for disaster management and emphasize that he must be held accountable for this tragedy. Mayor Lee is suspected of not receiving proper reports on the disaster situation at the time of the accident or of failing to issue appropriate response instructions even after receiving reports. The families plan to request the court to thoroughly investigate Mayor Lee's whereabouts on the day of the accident and related reporting details to resolve these suspicions. In addition, they will focus on clarifying responsibility by analyzing Mayor Lee's past disaster-related statements or policy-making processes. In this regard, Mayor Lee's side has not yet made an official statement, but it is known that they have indirectly expressed their intention to faithfully participate in the lawsuit in accordance with legal procedures. The outcome of this lawsuit is expected to have a significant impact on Mayor Lee's political standing and is expected to further stimulate social discussion on the roles and responsibilities of disaster management officials in the future.

Meanwhile, the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency announced that it has arrested and indicted a total of 55 suspects, including 45 who were involved in a criminal organization based in Cambodia. They are accused of obtaining massive illicit profits through phone fraud (voice phishing) and operating gambling sites. According to police investigations, they were operating a call center in Cambodia and committing crimes against Koreans. In particular, they were found to have used various methods, such as luring victims with high-paying part-time jobs through social media (SNS) and inducing them to join illegal gambling sites. The police are focusing on tracking down their criminal proceeds and plan to expand the investigation to determine whether there are any additional accomplices. In addition, they will actively work to apprehend accomplices who are fleeing overseas through cooperation with local police in Cambodia. This case has highlighted the reality of criminal organizations operating overseas, further emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in investigations. The police plan to continue to strengthen cooperation with overseas investigative agencies to actively respond to criminal acts that cross borders.

On July 15, 2023, at around 8:40 AM, the Miho River overflowed due to record-breaking heavy rain, causing the Gungpyeong 2 underpass in Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, to be submerged in an instant. This accident resulted in the loss of 14 precious lives and caused serious injuries to 16 people, causing massive casualties. At the time, vehicles that had not been able to evacuate were trapped inside the underpass, further exacerbating the damage and making rescue operations difficult. Immediately after the accident, the government and local governments jointly established an accident response headquarters and devoted all efforts to searching for missing persons and supporting victims. In addition, a joint special inspection by related agencies was conducted to investigate the cause of the accident and focus on clarifying responsibility. However, criticism was raised due to inadequacies in the initial response process after the accident. In particular, it was pointed out that the underpass control system was not functioning properly at the time of the accident and that the dissemination of disaster information by the relevant authorities was inadequate. To address these problems, the government plans to conduct a review of the overall disaster prevention and response system and develop improvement measures. In addition, measures will be taken to prevent similar accidents from recurring, such as installing and strengthening underpass flood prevention facilities and improving the disaster situation dissemination system.