'D-3' Itaewon National Memorial, Activities End if Extension Not Granted by Tomorrow

Itaewon National Memorial Train Departs 52 Days After Disaster
Bereaved Families' Testimonies Still Unheard... Opposition Demands "Exclusive Session"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] 78.6%.

This is the result of a public opinion poll evaluating the activities of the 'Yongsan Itaewon Disaster Special Committee for National Investigation,' which was difficultly launched last year after fierce disputes between the ruling and opposition parties. Nearly 8 out of 10 citizens responded negatively, saying that the ruling and opposition parties' special committee activities are "only exchanging political disputes and not doing their job properly." (Next Research·SBS, December 30-31, 2022, nationwide survey of 1,005 voters, 95% confidence level with ±3.1 percentage points margin of error; for detailed information, refer to the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission)

According to the National Assembly on the 4th, although the Yongsan Itaewon Disaster Special Committee, agreed upon by the ruling and opposition parties, is about to conclude on the 7th after a total of 45 days of activity, it seems likely to end without hearing testimonies from the bereaved families and survivors, who are the actual victims of the disaster.

Families of the victims of the Itaewon tragedy attended a meeting with members of the People Power Party's special committee for the national investigation held at the National Assembly on the 20th, and broke down in tears during the meeting. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

The ruling and opposition parties began the special committee activities on November 24 last year, aiming to investigate the causes of the Itaewon disaster and the overall accident and to prepare measures to prevent recurrence. However, they spent the entire month of December focusing on agreeing on the 2023 budget, and the proper national investigation barely took its first step with an 'on-site investigation' 52 days after the disaster at the end of the year.

Special Committee for National Investigation? Another 'Political Battle' Committee

The special committee faced difficulties from the start. Due to delays in budget approval, the opposition parties held the entire special committee meeting alone and decided on witness adoption, among other matters. Not only was the schedule delayed by the budget negotiations, but conflicts between the opposition party, which pushed for the dismissal motion of Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and the ruling party opposing it led to a crisis where all ruling party special committee members resigned at one point.

Woo Sang-ho, Chairman of the National Assembly Special Committee on the Itaewon Disaster Investigation, and members of the committee are seen paying their respects at the citizen memorial altar for the victims at Noksapyeong Station in Seoul on the 21st, followed by conversations with the bereaved families. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

After many twists and turns, the special committee finally opened on December 21, amid a cold wave, at the joint memorial altar located at Noksapyeong Station, where 18 special committee members, experts, bereaved families, and reporters were mixed in confusion.

Subsequently, the venue moved to the National Assembly, where they began fact-finding through the first and second agency reports. However, due to insufficient data submissions on both occasions, each lawmaker wasted about an hour before they could start serious Q&A sessions.

Although the purpose was to determine responsibility and prepare measures to prevent recurrence, it often appeared as another stage for political disputes between the ruling and opposition parties. The Democratic Party raised voices against the government's and ruling party's attempts to 'weaken the national investigation' and the 'dismissal of Minister Lee Sang-min,' while the People Power Party focused on the 'Doctor Car controversy' involving Democratic Party lawmaker Shin Hyun-young. During the second agency report, unexpectedly, Basic Income Party lawmaker Yong Hye-in was summoned, overshadowing the national investigation issue.

People Power Party lawmakers Jeon Ju-hye and Cho Soo-jin demanded Yong's resignation from the special committee, claiming that Yong's staff secretly recorded private conversations. At the hearing held on the 4th, just three days before the special committee's activities ended, there was about 20 minutes of commotion over demands for Yong's removal.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

"It is impossible to hold the third hearing agreed upon by the ruling and opposition parties."

If the Itaewon disaster national investigation concludes as scheduled, the special committee is expected to end without fulfilling its fundamental duty of 'truth-finding.' On the 4th, Nam In-soon, head of the Democratic Party's Yongsan Itaewon Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters, urged an extension of the special committee's activities at a press conference, stating, "Although the ruling and opposition parties agreed to hold three hearings and decided on the schedule, the third hearing involving bereaved families and survivors has not been able to finalize witnesses and the schedule."

The Democratic Party is demanding an extension of the special committee's activities by at least 10 days. On the afternoon of the 4th, floor leader Park Hong-geun told reporters, "Our position is that it must be at least 10 days. To hold the third hearing, it is inevitable." Considering the agreement on the hearing schedule and public hearings related to recurrence prevention measures, an extension of more than ten days is unavoidable.

Park even threatened to push for a unilateral extension by the three opposition parties if the ruling party does not respond. On the morning of the same day, Park told reporters, "We will wait until this evening (for acceptance of the national investigation extension). If the ruling party ultimately responds negatively and refuses not only the extension but also the holding of the third hearing and witness adoption, we will understand that they have no intention to conduct the national investigation and will have no choice but to proceed with the extension and hearing unilaterally by the opposition parties."

Since the extension of the special committee's activity period requires a plenary session resolution, it must be convened immediately on the 5th or 6th. Considering that the special committee's end date is Saturday (the 7th), that it takes time to prepare a new plan and submit it to the plenary session for approval, and that a hearing is scheduled for Friday the 6th, the only remaining time is the 5th.

Park said, "Lawmakers have their own schedules, so considering that, the ruling and opposition parties must quickly agree and announce the convening time within today." He added, "If not, I will talk directly with the Speaker of the National Assembly (to make it happen)."

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