Deadlock on the First Day of the Ruling and Opposition Parties' Special Committee on State Affairs Investigation (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The ruling and opposition parties, which reached a final agreement to conduct a national investigation into the Itaewon disaster, held their first meeting on the 24th, but it ended in disruption. Although the parties had reached a sudden agreement the day before, they still showed differences over the scope of the investigation. The opposition expressed a willingness to include the Special Investigation Headquarters, while the ruling party demanded the exclusion of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

The 'Special Committee for the National Investigation into the Yongsan Itaewon Disaster' was scheduled to hold its first plenary session at 11 a.m. at the National Assembly, but it was disrupted without even convening due to differences in views on the target institutions of the investigation. The People Power Party did not enter the meeting room, demanding the exclusion of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, which was included instead of the Ministry of Justice among the institutions to be investigated.

Kim Mi-ae, the floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, said during a pre-committee meeting with reporters, "Since the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office has no investigative authority related to the war on drugs, nor does it have authority over personnel deployment or command," adding, "During the discussion of the detailed plan, there have been many criticisms that it is ultimately 'to shield Lee Jae-myung.'"

Although the ruling and opposition parties agreed on the special committee for the national investigation, they continue to engage in a tug-of-war over the scope of the investigation. Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, mentioned the Police Special Investigation Headquarters, which was excluded from the investigation targets, at the policy coordination meeting, saying, "To ensure a thorough investigation without any sacred cows, hold those responsible accountable, and prevent recurrence, we will use all possible measures within the scope permitted by law." According to the agreement reached the previous day, the national investigation targets were reduced from the originally mentioned 21 institutions by the 'three opposition parties' to exclude the Presidential Security Service, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Personnel Management, and Police Special Investigation Headquarters.

Floor leader Park criticized, "The investigation by the Police Special Investigation Headquarters into the Itaewon disaster remains at the tail end without even touching the core," adding, "Yesterday, the Special Investigation Headquarters announced that it had additionally booked nine people, including the former head of the Yongsan Police Station 112 Situation Room, the deputy mayor of Yongsan District, and the on-site command team leader of the Yongsan Fire Station. The responsibility has been focused only on frontline workers, while investigations into the command line and higher-ups responsible for the disaster have all stalled." He emphasized, "I hope the Special Investigation Headquarters does not forget that it is also a target of the Itaewon disaster national investigation."

Seo Young-kyo, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, also appeared on YTN radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' that day and pointed out the exclusion of the Security Service and Ministry of Justice from the investigation targets, saying, "If something deemed absolutely necessary arises during the national investigation, it must be investigated," and mentioned the need for renegotiation.

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at an emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly in the morning, "I hope the budget bill is passed first, and then the national investigation takes place." He also emphasized the 'inevitability' of the current agreement, indicating that no further concessions would be made. He said, "Please understand that this was an unavoidable agreement because there was no way to block the one-sided national investigation by the three opposition parties, and because the budget must be passed within the legal deadline," adding, "I hope the national investigation will not devolve into political strife or exaggerated partisan propaganda as it did before, but will be a thorough investigation that establishes a system to prevent recurrence."

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