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President Yoon Suk-yeol is leaving after paying respects at the joint memorial altar set up at Seoul Plaza on the sixth day since the Itaewon tragedy on the morning of the 3rd. On the left is Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] What is the significance of President Yoon Seok-yeol accompanying Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, who has faced calls for dismissal, for two consecutive days during the joint memorial altar visit for the Itaewon disaster? The Blue House stated that it was because he was the minister in charge of the relevant department, but some interpret this as drawing a line against the calls for Lee’s dismissal. On the 2nd, Lee was reported to have skipped the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting to accompany President Yoon’s condolence visit, which strengthened this interpretation. Seemingly aware of this, Lee did not accompany President Yoon on the 4th.

President Yoon has been visiting to offer condolences for five consecutive days starting from the 31st, two days after the Itaewon disaster occurred. Among the Cabinet members, Lee was the only one to accompany the condolence visits on the 2nd and 3rd. Since the Itaewon disaster, Lee has faced criticism for remarks seen as evading responsibility, such as saying that deploying police and fire personnel alone would not solve the problem. Furthermore, as facts about the police’s poor on-site response and lack of preventive measures on the day of the disaster have emerged, demands for Lee’s dismissal, removal, or resignation have intensified from opposition parties, as he is the minister in charge of disaster and safety.

Regarding Lee’s accompaniment during the condolence visits, some in the political sphere interpreted that President Yoon might have no intention of dismissing him. On the 2nd, Lee accompanied President Yoon’s condolence visit but did not attend the CDSCH meeting related to the Itaewon disaster, which drew criticism. Possibly aware of the controversy from the previous day, Lee attended the CDSCH meeting held at the Government Seoul Office after the condolence visit on the 3rd. On the 4th, President Yoon visited the joint memorial altar set up at Seoul Plaza as his first schedule, but Lee did not accompany him. Instead, Lee attended the CDSCH meeting held from 8:30 a.m. It appears that Lee felt burdened by interpretations that President Yoon’s accompaniment was a form of reaffirming trust in him.

The Democratic Party criticized the decision to have Lee, who is facing calls for dismissal, accompany the condolence visits as inappropriate. Park Hong-geun, the floor leader, said at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, "Instead of dismissing Minister Lee, who clearly bears responsibility, he is stubbornly accompanying the condolence visits for two consecutive days in front of the entire nation," and added, "This behavior shows no regard for the wounds of the bereaved families or the public sentiment."

Within the ruling party, calls for Lee’s responsibility are gradually growing. Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, wrote on Facebook, "Police Chief Yoon Hee-geun should be immediately dismissed, and after the accident is managed, Minister Lee should voluntarily resign." Hong Joon-pyo, mayor of Daegu, said, "It is a foolish decision to say political responsibility will be addressed after the situation is managed, as it fuels public outrage. Hesitation in a crisis could lead to a second Sewol ferry disaster. Those who have become targets of criticism from the opposition and the public should be promptly dealt with so that the National Assembly can formulate countermeasures."

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