"We've waited 1 year and 7 months"... Family of Changwon NC Park accident victim urges indictments of those responsible

The father of a woman who died in an exterior structure collapse at Changwon NC Park in Gyeongsangnam-do last year criticized delays in the investigation and called on prosecutors to indict those responsible without further delay.

On October 28, the victim's family and their attorney, Minho Kim of LKB & Partners, held a press conference in front of Gate 4 on the third-base infield side of Changwon NC Park.

The deceased woman's father, identified only as Mr. A, said, "Another birthday without its main character is approaching, just as it did last year. I hope the investigation results are announced before her birthday this year, that those who should be indicted are indicted, and that the family’s feelings are taken into consideration."

He said, "The police said there was plenty of evidence, but I don't know what supplementary investigation the prosecutors are conducting now. More than a year after the accident, they still say the investigation is ongoing. I feel they are buying time to favor one side."

He added, "We have never asked for a settlement or money since the accident. We want the truth about what happened to come out. We have waited long enough."

The family’s attorney condemned the lack of action, saying, "This case goes beyond occupational negligence resulting in death and injury. It constitutes a serious civic accident under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, a serious crime with no upper limit on its statutory penalty. Yet none of those involved has been detained or brought to trial."

The attorney also raised suspicions of a cover-up, saying, "It has been one year and seven months since the incident. Although investigators said early on that there was plenty of evidence, they have still not brought charges. Are they deliberately holding back on indictments?"

The attorney argued, "While those involved are being investigated without being detained, they could coordinate their statements to their mutual advantage or help one another destroy evidence. I question whether the suspects should be indicted at the same time."

"The family would not be so disheartened if the authorities would at least give us a rough timeline for wrapping up the investigation, such as by the end of this year or in the first half of next year," the attorney said. "It is frustrating not knowing how long the investigation will be delayed, or whether it will drag on into next year or the year after."

The family also pointed to findings in the Board of Audit and Inspection's recent interim report on its audit of safety management at sports facilities used by large numbers of people, which revealed inadequate management at major public sports facilities in South Korea.

The audit found missed safety inspections and poor management at venues including Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Incheon Munhak Stadium, Jamsil Baseball Stadium and Jeonju World Cup Stadium. The problems included cracks caused by insufficient reinforcing steel during construction, a baseball stadium roof left without reinforcement, bent steel structures, and inadequate detailed safety inspections.

The family said the findings "clearly show that a tragedy of this scale could happen at any time," adding that this was because "those responsible for this incident have not been made an example of." They again called for indictments without delay.

One of the louvers attached to the exterior wall near the concession stand on the third-base side of Changwon NC Park has fallen off. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]

At around 5:13 p.m. on March 29, 2025, an aluminum structure known as a "louver," weighing about 32 kilograms and attached to the exterior wall on the fourth floor of NC Park, fell 21.4 meters to the ground.

The louver struck three women who were waiting in line in front of a concession stand on the first floor of the Gate 4 building. One of them, a woman in her 20s, died two days later.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, which investigated the incident, concluded that the accident resulted from the combined effects of several causes: poor design and construction; inadequate construction management and supervision; deficient regular inspections and maintenance by the Changwon Facilities Corporation; and a breach of the corporation's management head's duty to ensure safety and health.

In March 2026, the police referred 14 people, including NC Dinos team staff, Changwon Facilities Corporation employees and maintenance contractor personnel, to prosecutors without detention on charges including occupational negligence resulting in death and injury. They also referred two former and current board chairs of the Changwon Facilities Corporation and the corporation itself on suspicion of a serious civic accident under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

The police determined that the NC Dinos, as the beneficiary of a contract with Changwon City, was responsible only for consumable facilities such as electrical and firefighting equipment, excluding construction-related areas. As a result, the team's CEO and corporate entity were not referred to prosecutors.

In April 2026, the family filed a complaint with the Seoul Gangnam Police Station against the NC Dinos corporate entity and its CEO on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death and injury and a serious civic accident under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

After the press conference, the family and their attorney visited the Masan Branch of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office and met with the prosecutor in charge of the case.

If the investigation continues to be delayed, the family plans to collect signatures on a petition outside Changwon NC Park in March 2027, when the next professional baseball season opens, calling for harsh punishment for those responsible for the accident.

They also plan to set up a memorial space for the deceased near the stadium on the anniversary of the accident.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.