4 years and 5 months 'Chuncheonui Lake Ship overturned'...Government officials and all others involved are not guilty.

Uiam Lake's artificial water plant island binding...3 ships overturned
Eight people, including employees of Chuncheon City Hall's Environment and Disaster Department, are indicted without detention
Denial of all charges against the accused...Tribunal to conduct on-site verification

[Anchor]
Do you remember the ship capsized accident in Uiam Lake in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, in August 2020?

Three ships flipped over in front of the dam with the floodgates open, killing five people and missing one.

Controversy arose over whether the superiors ordered work, and the officials in charge were acquitted in the first trial.Reporter

reports.

[Reporter]
In August 2020, there was a ship overturning accident at Uiam Lake in Chuncheon.

During the rainy season, three ships flipped while trying to block an artificial water plant island where lines were released and washed away with the floodgates of the dam open.

Eight people, including city hall officials, fixed-term employees, police officers and water plant manufacturers, fell into the water, saving two and killing five.

I couldn't find the other one in the end.The biggest controversy since the

accident was whether there was a heavy rain warning at the time and the floodgate of the downstream dam was opened, and if there was, who got it.

Police and prosecutors investigated for 21 months after the accident.

However, both the city hall and the company's field staff were killed, and in the absence of official documents, it was not possible to say whether or not to order the work.

The prosecution eventually handed over seven officials from Chuncheon City's environmental and disaster department and the head of the company to trial.

He was charged with professional manslaughter and injury, because he did not stop working and take active evacuation measures at the time of the accident.

Since then, the trial has continued for a long time.

All of the defendants denied the charges, and the court conducted on-site verification, and more than 20 witnesses were present.

In the end, the first trial court acquitted all of the defendants two years and eight months after the trial began.

Local governments and companies accused of violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act also found them not guilty.

[Cho Ki-yeon / Lawyers for a water plant island maker: I would like to express my condolences to the bereaved families who are still living in pain for a long time. I pray for the repose of the deceased. First of all, the judgment itself appears to be a result of professional negligence and faithful judgment to the Occupational Safety and Health Act.]

The court said it is a case that is likely to be socially criticized as many people have lost their lives, but that does not mean that the defendants cannot admit their professional negligence without evidence and be criminally punished.

I'm YTN Jihwan.

Reporter for shooting
: Hong Do-young