Progressive Party Demands Dismissal of Those Responsible for Itaewon Tragedy... Launches Nationwide Petition Campaign

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Progressive Party has launched a nationwide signature campaign demanding the president's responsibility for the Itaewon tragedy, an unreserved investigation, and the dismissal of Prime Minister Han Deok-su, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and National Police Agency Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun.

On the 10th, at a press conference held in front of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, they stated, "Although the government's responsibility for the Itaewon tragedy has been clearly revealed, no measures such as dismissal of those responsible or acceptance of a fact-finding investigation have been taken," and criticized, "In particular, President Yoon is evading his constitutional duty to protect the lives and safety of the people by offering insincere apologies without dismissing those responsible and shifting the blame onto frontline police and firefighters."

The Progressive Party, along with its 16 city and provincial branches and all party members, has launched a nationwide signature campaign urging President Yoon to take responsibility and demanding a thorough investigation and dismissal of those responsible for the Itaewon tragedy.

Yoon Hee-sook, the Progressive Party's standing representative, said, "The head of the Yongsan Fire Station, who was trembling on the scene trying to manage the situation, has been booked, and frontline police officers who performed CPR until their arms were swollen are being called 'accomplices to the tragedy,'" adding, "Is it even reasonable that those who neglected their duties are punishing those who fulfilled theirs on the scene? This is the height of audacity."

She continued, "Kim Dae-gi, the Chief of Staff to the President, avoided responsibility at yesterday's National Assembly audit by saying the presidential office is not a control tower and that demanding ministers resign every time a tragedy occurs is backward," and criticized, "Then is the suffocation death of 156 people in the heart of Seoul in 2022 considered advanced?"

Furthermore, she pointed out, "The government, which should be responsible for disaster preparedness and public safety, is not holding the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the overall person in charge of disaster safety, accountable in any way, is limiting the Itaewon tragedy to a police issue, and is pushing for strict police investigations and punishments," calling it "a typical scapegoating."

Standing representative Yoon urged, "The cabinet under Prime Minister Han Deok-su and this administration has completely lost the trust of the people, and President Yoon must acknowledge that normal state affairs are impossible under these circumstances," and demanded, "Dismiss and punish Prime Minister Han, Minister Lee, and Police Commissioner Yoon."

She declared, "The Progressive Party will start a public signature campaign demanding President Yoon take responsibility and the dismissal of Minister Lee, Prime Minister Han, and Police Commissioner Yoon," and added, "This weekend, we will hold 100,000 candlelight vigils directly holding President Yoon accountable for abandoning his constitutional responsibility to protect the people from danger."

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