Yong Hye-in "Regret over Impeachment Dismissal... Lee Sang-min Still Responsible"

"Minister Desperately Denying Responsibility, Who Would Believe?"
"Government Response Still the Same During Heavy Rain"

Yong Hye-in, a member of the Basic Income Party, said of Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, who was able to return to his duties after the Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment motion, "Nevertheless, he is responsible."

On the 25th, Representative Yong pointed out on Facebook, "Minister Lee Sang-min consistently showed incompetence, irresponsibility, and even hostility toward the bereaved families following the Itaewon disaster," adding, "Even during the impeachment trial, he was preoccupied with denying his responsibility by saying, 'There is legal responsibility only when victims appear.'"

Yong Hye-in, Member of the Basic Income Party. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

She continued, "Who among the people can believe that Minister Lee, who ultimately evaded responsibility for the Itaewon disaster, will do his best as a public official to protect the safety and lives of the people? If the government’s responsibility cannot be held accountable even when the entire nation suffers from flood damage and 50 people die or go missing, what public official would do their utmost to prevent disasters?"

She also criticized, "Minister Lee was aware that the Itaewon disaster had occurred but only arrived at the scene 85 minutes later to take an official car. Instead of apologizing, he left behind irresponsible remarks such as 'the golden time had already passed.' The government’s response remains the same even in the recent extreme heavy rain disaster, where 50 people died and over ten thousand were displaced."

Representative Yong said, "The impeachment motion against Minister Lee was the National Assembly fulfilling its role as prescribed by the Constitution and laws, according to the will of the people, against a minister who consistently evaded responsibility even in front of 159 victims," adding, "The Constitutional Court should have weighed the constitutional interests of the people's lives and safety and the protection of the Constitution more heavily than ever in this impeachment trial."

She added, "By interpreting the government's responsibility for the safety and lives of the people very passively, the judiciary ignored the very modest and just demands for a thorough investigation of the Itaewon disaster and punishment of those responsible, which the people demanded and the National Assembly decided upon," concluding, "I express deep regret over today’s judgment by the judiciary."

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