Hong Ik-pyo: "Itaewon Special Act to Be Reintroduced in the 22nd National Assembly if Rejected in February"

If Rejected Next Month, Reconsideration for Re-promotion in the 22nd National Assembly
Serious Accident Punishment Act Reprieve Proposal "Unacceptable"

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 26th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated that regarding the 'Itaewon Disaster Special Act' returned to the National Assembly after President Yoon Seok-yeol exercised his veto power (reconsideration request), "We will push for reconsideration in February, and if it is rejected, we will pursue it again in the 22nd National Assembly."

On the 31st, Hong appeared on MBC's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" and said, "We will try to negotiate once (with the ruling party), but if there is no change from the existing position, it seems difficult to have substantial progress in renegotiations," adding, "Nothing has been finalized yet, but we are considering handling (the Itaewon Special Act) within the February National Assembly." He further explained, "We also plan to pursue the Itaewon Special Act again in the 22nd National Assembly," and "I told the bereaved families that even if we reconsider, the possibility of rejection is very high, so we will pass the bill with the mindset of starting over."

Regarding the comprehensive support measures for the Itaewon disaster announced by the government, he criticized, "Since the victim support measures were mainly announced as compensation measures, conservative YouTubers are spreading content suggesting that the bereaved families are trying to make money by using their deceased children or family members," and added, "The government presenting compensation and relief issues without a thorough investigation is being perceived as very insulting from the bereaved families' perspective."

As President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to exercise his veto power over the Itaewon Disaster Special Act, on the morning of the 30th, the tent at the Seoul City Hall Itaewon Disaster Victims' Memorial altar was densely covered with notes containing condolence messages. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

Regarding the People Power Party's proposal to adjust the grace period for the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, he said, "It is unacceptable." He stated, "If the grace period is one year, that is fine, but to stretch it like a rubber band from two years to one year and so on, there is no principle in such a grace period," and added, "The purpose is to establish the Occupational Safety and Health Agency and to prevent industrial accident deaths and supervise on-site, but proposing only to postpone without such content is unacceptable."

Meanwhile, the Itaewon Special Act passed the National Assembly on the 9th, led by the opposition party, with the People Power Party abstaining from the vote. The special act mainly includes the establishment of a special investigation committee to investigate the truth of the Itaewon disaster. The People Power Party requested President Yoon to exercise his veto immediately after the plenary session, citing issues with the composition and authority of the special investigation committee, and President Yoon exercised his veto. Since taking office, President Yoon has exercised veto power on a total of nine bills, including the Grain Management Act, Nursing Act, Yellow Envelope Act, Broadcasting Three Acts (Broadcasting Act amendment, Korea Broadcasting Promotion Foundation Act amendment, Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act amendment), Double Special Prosecutor Act (Daejang-dong 5 billion club and Kim Keon-hee's Deutsche Motors stock manipulation suspicion special prosecutor act), and the Itaewon Special Act.

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