The 55-year-old senior police officer, who is known by his surname, Jeong, was charged with abuse of authority, destruction of evidence and professional negligence, the South Korean Yonhap news agency said.
Police suspected Jeong of trying to cover up inaction by ordering his colleague to delete after the tragedy an internal report that warned the police of possible safety accidents during Halloween. Jeong was suspended from his duties after the investigation was formally launched, according to Yonhap.
The news agency also reported that the man sent messages "suggesting suicide" to his friends and colleagues the day before.
Earlier in the week, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol harshly criticized police for the failure to act appropriately in response to the tragedy, saying that the police held full responsibility for not preventing the accident.
The deadly crowd crush occurred on October 29 in the narrow alleyways of the popular nightlife district of Itaewon, as thousands gathered to celebrate the first post COVID-19 restriction-free Halloween festival. According to the latest data, 156 people died, while 30 others were seriously injured. Most of the victims were in their twenties and thirties.