Breaking News Three people, including Cheongju Mayor Lee Beom-seok, are indicted for serious disaster punishment.

The Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office handed over three people, Lee Beom-seok, mayor of Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and Lee Sang-rae, former head of the Administrative Complex City Construction Agency, to trial on charges of violating the Serious Disaster Punishment Act in connection with the Osong Underground Road Disaster in which 14 people were killed.

North Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Young-hwan has been disposed of without charges.

Mayor Lee Beom-seok is the one who was entrusted with maintenance work on the Miho River embankment, but he is accused of not improving the manpower and budget situation even though the relevant department performed poorly due to lack of manpower and budget.

Former Commissioner Lee Sang-rae is accused of visiting the construction site in preparation for the rainy season and not ordering the restoration of the embankment even after checking the incision in person.

However, regarding North Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Young-hwan, it was judged to be insufficient evidence in consideration of the fact that Chungcheongbuk-do carried out normal safety inspections on the accident underground roadway and made efforts to secure a budget for installing safety facilities.

The prosecution also indicted the CEO of the construction company and the corporation who constructed the levee on charges of violating the Serious Accident Punishment Act.

As Cheongju Mayor Lee Beom-seok and others were charged with violating the Serious Disaster Punishment Act, it was recorded as the first case of prosecution for a serious civil disaster since the enactment of the Serious Disaster Punishment Act in 2022.

A prosecution official said, "As a result of confirming the facts and reviewing the legal principles in accordance with the legislative purpose of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, we have prosecuted three managers."