Yoon on Itaewon Disaster Parliamentary Investigation: "People Want Truth Revealed Through Investigation"

-Background of the tour decision: "It was decided because it is an important event involving the economic and trade activities and interests of our people"
-Regarding MBC's refusal to board the 'Presidential Aircraft': "The tour is important because it involves vital national interests"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is arriving at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the morning of the 10th and answering questions from reporters. /

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 10th regarding the opposition party's demand for a parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon tragedy, "I think the public is more eager for a swift truth-finding through police investigations and prompt prosecution investigations after the case is transferred." This implies that truth-finding based on scientific and compulsory investigations by investigative agencies should take priority, effectively opposing the opposition party's call for a parliamentary investigation.

President Yoon made this remark on his way to the Yongsan Presidential Office in the morning when asked by reporters about the necessity of a parliamentary investigation. The day before, the Democratic Party, along with the Justice Party, Basic Income Party, and independent lawmakers, submitted a request for a parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon tragedy to the National Assembly. In this process, the Democratic Party named eight responsible figures including President Yoon and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, even hinting at appointing a special prosecutor.

He also drew a line regarding the written message controversy involving Kim Eun-hye, the Chief of Public Relations, and Kang Seung-gyu, the Chief of Civil Society, which surfaced during the National Assembly’s audit of the Presidential Secretariat on the 8th. President Yoon said, "Regarding the government ministers who appeared before the National Assembly, weren't there more issues?" and added, "I hope you understand this comprehensively." This indicates that no follow-up actions are being considered against these aides.

Regarding the upcoming overseas trip departing tomorrow morning, he mentioned, "I struggled with whether to attend a diplomatic tour event while the victims and bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy are suffering from shock and grief, but since it is an important event tied to our citizens' economic and trade activities and interests, I decided to proceed with the trip." President Yoon elaborated, "First, the Korea-US-Japan summit was confirmed, and several other meetings have been confirmed or are in progress. In multilateral meetings, bilateral talks are usually pre-arranged, but sometimes they are created suddenly during the meetings or reviewed and changed due to circumstances."

Additionally, regarding the Presidential Office’s decision not to allow MBC reporters covering the trip to board the 'presidential aircraft,' he said, "The president’s overseas trips, funded by many citizens’ taxes, are because they involve important national interests." The Presidential Office had informed MBC reporters the day before that "boarding the presidential aircraft has been provided for convenience in covering diplomatic and security issues, but considering MBC’s repeated distorted and biased reporting on diplomatic matters recently, we decided not to provide this convenience."

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