[In the Photo: Politics] Clash Between Ruling and Opposition Parties Over the 'Itaewon Tragedy' Scene

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Dong-joo] “The attitude of the Yoon Seok-yeol government towards the disaster is to say 'Don't say anything and just quietly mourn.' Why should the Public Administration and Security Committee (PAS) act as a mere prop for the Yoon government’s policy?”

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is reporting on current issues related to the Itaewon disaster during the plenary meeting of the Administrative Safety Committee held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 1st. Meanwhile, Yong Hye-in, a member of the Basic Income Party (second from the left), is protesting and leaving the meeting over the decision by the ruling and opposition parties not to question by mutual agreement.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 1st, during the plenary session of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee convened to receive an urgent briefing from the government regarding the Itaewon disaster, this was the statement made by Yong Hye-in, a member of the Basic Income Party. It was a protest against the PAS’s decision to only receive reports from related ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Police Agency without separate questioning.

The People Power Party and the Democratic Party agreed to receive briefings from related ministries about the Itaewon disaster but decided not to conduct urgent questioning. They stated the reason was to avoid interfering with the government’s handling of the incident. However, Representative Yong said, “This is not a responsibility the National Assembly should bear. I cannot agree to the PAS acting as a prop for the Yoon Seok-yeol government’s policy of quietly mourning,” and left the meeting room.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is attending an emergency briefing on the Itaewon disaster held at the National Assembly on the 1st, and is apologizing regarding his remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min attended an emergency briefing on the Itaewon disaster held at the National Assembly on the 1st, changing from a white mask to a black mask./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min attended an emergency briefing on the Itaewon disaster held at the National Assembly on the 1st and delivered a report on the current issues. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is stepping onto the podium to attend and report at the emergency briefing on the Itaewon tragedy held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Earlier, Lee Chae-ik, chair of the National Assembly’s PAS Committee, gave Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min an opportunity to apologize for his remarks on the 30th that “the deployment of police and firefighting personnel was at an appropriate level” and that “the police force could not have handled it.” Minister Lee, who had previously refused to apologize, calling criticism of his remarks political agitation, said, “I understand that many people were hurt by my recent comments during a media briefing,” and added, “While my intention was to urge restraint from premature speculation or judgment until the police’s accident investigation results are announced, I ultimately failed to carefully consider the feelings of the bereaved families and the grieving public,” and sincerely apologized.

Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, and Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, are leaving the meeting room after an emergency briefing on the Itaewon disaster held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is leaving the meeting room after finishing an emergency briefing on the Itaewon disaster held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is leaving the meeting room without answering reporters' questions after finishing an emergency briefing on the Itaewon tragedy held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Following the PAS meeting, the next day the National Assembly’s Judiciary Committee held a plenary session.

Although the meeting was convened to discuss next year’s budget, considering the social impact of the Itaewon disaster, it was expected that related questioning would be intense in the Judiciary Committee as well. However, the Judiciary Committee was disrupted due to a clash between the People Power Party, which proposed only receiving reports related to the budget, and Democratic Party members who insisted on urgent questioning about the Itaewon disaster.

Kim Do-eup, Chairman of the National Assembly Judiciary Committee, is talking with Ki Dong-min, the Democratic Party of Korea's floor leader, and Jeong Jeom-sik, the 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@

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon attended the full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 2nd, closing his eyes while waiting for the meeting to begin. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Democratic Party members of the Judiciary Committee held a protest press conference in front of the meeting room, criticizing the government and ruling party, saying, “They are showing a hypocritical attitude by talking about bipartisan cooperation while refusing urgent questioning.”

Democratic Party judiciary committee members are holding a protest press conference on the 2nd in front of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting room, complaining that the ruling party does not even agree to hold a closed session for urgent inquiries.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 31st, at the Democratic Party of Korea's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, leader Lee Jae-myung and other party leadership observed a moment of silence for the victims of the Itaewon tragedy. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, and other floor leaders are observing a moment of silence for the victims of the Itaewon tragedy before the start of the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

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