Ruling and Opposition Parties Extend Itaewon National Investigation Period by Ten Days... Bigger Issues Remain

Conflict over Witness Adoption for 3rd Hearing
Opposition: "Lee Sang-min and Bereaved Families Should Be Called Together"
Ruling Party: "'Doctor Car' Shin Hyun-young Witness Adopted"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] After much difficulty, the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to extend the period of the special committee for the state investigation into the Itaewon disaster. However, differences remain over the adoption of witnesses for the hearings, making future schedules expected to face difficulties.

On the 5th, Joo Ho-young of the People Power Party and Park Hong-geun of the Democratic Party, floor leaders, announced after a meeting at the National Assembly that they had agreed to extend the state investigation period until the 17th. The extension agenda will be voted on at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 6th.

The special committee for the Itaewon disaster state investigation began operations on November 24 last year, and its 45-day activity period will end on the 7th. However, due to the National Assembly’s budget review, the first field investigation only started on December 21 last year, delaying full-scale activities.

Both parties agreed that if the budget review was delayed at the end of last year, the state investigation period should be extended. However, they remained at an impasse over the adoption of witnesses for the third hearing, and only barely reached an agreement on the 'period extension.'

The opposition party insists that the demands of the bereaved families should be reflected in the remaining state investigation procedures. The key issue is whether to additionally summon Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min to the witness stand at the third hearing following the second hearing on the 6th. Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party, explained to reporters on the 4th, "If the government and ruling party oppose holding a hearing where the bereaved families can face Minister Lee for additional witness adoption, and if the period extension or the third hearing is canceled, we will have no choice but to make a judgment."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The opposition party has consistently called for the resignation of Minister Lee, the senior official responsible, since the Itaewon disaster. After unilaterally passing a dismissal recommendation for Minister Lee on the 11th of last month, the party leadership recently raised calls for his removal and even impeachment at the Supreme Council meeting.

Earlier, on the 3rd, Lee Jong-cheol, representative of the bereaved families’ council, emphasized during a meeting with the Democratic Party floor leadership that "dried pollack must always be on the ancestral rites table. You will know who I mean by dried pollack," stressing the need to hear testimonies from Minister Lee, the bereaved families, and survivors.

Both parties also differ over increasing the number of witnesses from the bereaved families and survivors. Floor leader Park said, "The basic stance is to increase the number of bereaved families and survivors, and in addition, we believe Minister Lee should also be included," adding, "We are talking about Minister Lee, but the ruling party is not responding at all and is opposing, so I was informed that negotiations are stuck there."

On the other hand, the ruling party insists that Democratic Party lawmaker Shin Hyun-young, who was involved in controversy over boarding the 'Doctor Car' during the disaster, should be adopted as a witness. On the same day, at the party’s emergency committee meeting, People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young acknowledged the need to extend the state investigation period but stated that Shin, who was involved in the Doctor Car boarding controversy, and personnel related to the DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team) at Myongji Hospital should be adopted as witnesses for the third hearing. Joo said, "In emergency disasters, the so-called golden time and dispatch issues are important, but the fact that not a single person from their own party is adopted as a witness contradicts the purpose the Democratic Party has pursued so far."

Currently, detailed negotiations regarding witness adoption have been left to the special committee secretaries of both parties. Kim Gyo-heung, Democratic Party special committee secretary, told this outlet in a phone interview regarding negotiations such as having Minister Lee and the bereaved families appear together at the hearing, "We are in discussions, but it is not going well. The ruling party keeps bringing up the issue of adopting lawmaker Shin," and added, "Please wait and see the results of the negotiations."

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