The prosecution has demanded that the police provide causality between negligence by Yongsan Fire Station chief Choi Seong-beom and the death of each of the 158 victims of the Itaewon disaster.

Responding on Thursday to the prosecution's refusal to pursue an arrest warrant for Choi the day before, an official from the special police team investigating the crowd crush balked at the demand for a time of rescue, time of death, and time left unattended for each victim.

The official said it is “virtually impossible” to specify how the fire chief’s negligence contributed to every single death due to the difficulty in confirming details of each death through only CCTV footage and accounts from family and friends.

The team is accusing Choi of inaction for some 40 minutes while at the site of the accident and thus exacerbating casualties.

In declining to seek an arrest warrant, the prosecution also demanded additional reasons for seeking Choi’s detention, such as posing a flight risk.