Ruling Party: "Opposition, after 'Complete Prosecution Reform'... Refuse Meeting in Legislation Committee Demanding Inquiry on 'Itaewon Disaster'"

Kim Do-eup, Chairman of the National Assembly Judiciary Committee, is talking with Ki Dong-min, Democratic Party of Korea's floor leader, and Jeong Jeom-sik, People Power Party's floor leader, at the Judiciary Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 2nd. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Ruling party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee criticized the opposition party members' refusal to attend the committee meeting on the 2nd, saying, "They are trying to turn this into a political dispute amid the tragic sacrifice of the nation's precious lives."

On that day, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee was disrupted due to clashes between the ruling and opposition parties over whether to conduct urgent inquiries related to the Itaewon Halloween incident.

Ruling party members explained, "Today's Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting was intended to discuss the 2023 budget, but just before the meeting, the Democratic Party suddenly demanded a closed-door urgent inquiry into the Itaewon disaster and unilaterally refused to attend the meeting."

They emphasized, "The truth about the incident still needs to be uncovered. Also, there is no ministry directly responsible for this disaster within the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Due to the 'Complete Prosecution Reform Act' unilaterally passed by the Democratic Party, the prosecution cannot directly investigate large-scale disasters."

Ruling party members pointed out, "Urgent inquiries are important from the public's right to know perspective and should be conducted publicly, but they should be handled by the relevant standing committee, the Public Administration and Security Committee. We proposed holding the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's urgent inquiry on the 8th, but it is very regrettable that the People Power Party is portraying opposition to the urgent inquiry itself as if they are against it."

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