Dong Ah Construction. Four days later, prosecutors found damage reports submitted in February and April to the Seoul Metropolitan Government by the Dongbu Corporation, which was responsible for bridge maintenance and repair. These reports stated the steel girders supporting the Seongsu Bridge were in urgent need of repair and included photographs of the damage on the bridge. On October 26, prosecutors arrested the head of the city government's construction office and six other Seoul City officials for falsely reporting that the bridge was safe without performing the required daily checks. In the end, the Seoul District Prosecutor's Office's investigation would lead to 17 arrests in connection to the collapse, including the arrests of four Seoul Metropolitan Government officials, seven Dongbu Corporation officials, and six Dong Ah Construction officials. After much speculation, prosecutors decided not to arrest former mayor of Seoul () stating that they did not find evidence that he was ever informed of the imminent collapse. The 17 defendants were tried collectively at the 7th Seoul Criminal District Court under Judge Kim Dong-hwan () and proceedings began on December 15, 1994. Defendants from Dong Ah Construction were charged with criminal negligence resulting in death, injury, the obstruction of traffic, and an automobile accident. Defendants from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Dongbu Corporation were additionally charged with forgery of public documents, use of forged public documents, forgery of private documents, and use of forged private documents. Defendants from Dong Ah Construction argued that the five-year statute of limitations for negligent manslaughter had passed because the bridge had been built 15 years ago. However, the judge ruled that the statute of limitations for criminal negligence began on the date of the accident and not the date of construction, a decision appellate courts would later uphold. The officials testified that they were not aware of any poor construction. On April 20, 1995, the district court convicted 16 defendants while acquitting construction site manager Shin Dong-hyun (), ruling that Shin was not in a position to be aware of any defects in the welding of the bridge. Sentences varied from 10 months to 3 years imprisonment, but were suspended by the judge who argued that the defendants had already served 6 months and should not be punished further for poor construction that had been carried out 15 years ago. Seoul District Prosecutors immediately appealed the decisions, and the case was taken to