Opposition 3 Parties Urge National Assembly Speaker to Push for State Audit... Kim Jin-pyo Says "Convincing Ruling Party Comes First"

Speaker's Authority to Form National Assembly Investigation Special Committee
Kim Emphasizes Principle of 'Promotion by Ruling and Opposition Agreement'
Three Opposition Parties Begin Preliminary Work First

Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Hong-geun, Justice Party Floor Leader Lee Eun-joo, and Basic Income Party Floor Leader Yong Hye-in posed for a photo on the 15th at the National Assembly before meeting with Speaker Kim Jin-pyo regarding the Itaewon disaster state investigation. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The three opposition parties unanimously urged Speaker of the National Assembly Kim Jin-pyo to push forward a state audit on the 'Itaewon disaster,' but Speaker Kim deferred making a decision, stating that further persuasion of the ruling party is necessary. In response, the three opposition parties demanded that the Speaker form the special committee for the state audit within this week.

On the 15th, representing the three opposition parties, Park Hong-geun, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Jin Sung-jun, Deputy Floor Leader, Lee Eun-joo, Floor Leader of the Justice Party, Jang Hye-young, Deputy Floor Leader, and Yong Hye-in, Floor Leader of the Basic Income Party, met with Speaker Kim.

According to the Act on the Inspection and Investigation of State Affairs, when a request for a state audit is submitted, the Speaker of the National Assembly may form a special committee for the investigation in consultation with the representatives of each negotiating group. Previously, 181 members of the National Assembly from the three opposition parties submitted a request for a state audit to investigate the truth behind the Itaewon disaster.

Before the meeting, the opposition party leaders strongly urged Speaker Kim to proceed with the state audit. Floor Leader Park said, "Is forced investigation and state audit a matter of choice? It is naturally not a matter of either-or but rather both simultaneously, and the state audit actually helps the forced investigation," adding, "We will do our utmost to persuade the People Power Party until the last moment, but if they ultimately refuse the public's demand for truth-finding, we ask the Speaker to join us in persuading the People Power Party," urging a decision.

Floor Leader Lee also said, "There are nine days left until the plenary session on the 24th. I believe the time for a decision is approaching," emphasizing, "The Justice Party will also strive to persuade the People Power Party to the fullest extent. While the Speaker must act as a mediator between the ruling and opposition parties, I say that at some point, a decision is necessary."

Floor Leader Yong said, "As someone who painfully watched the Sewol ferry disaster eight years ago, I earnestly request the Speaker that this time must be different," adding, "Please persuade the People Power Party so that the public can regain trust in safety, and make a principled and firm decision."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, Speaker Kim did not make a decision that day, citing the need to first persuade the ruling party. After the approximately 40-minute meeting, Floor Leader Park told reporters, "The Speaker agreed on the necessity of the state audit, considering the coerciveness and seriousness of this matter. However, he said that since the state audit would be more effective if pursued with bipartisan agreement, there is a need to further persuade the ruling party."

In response, the three opposition parties set a deadline to form the special committee within this week to submit the agenda for the plenary session on the 24th. Floor Leader Yong stated, "Since there is a physical deadline of the 24th, according to the National Assembly Act and the Act on the Inspection and Investigation of State Affairs, I requested the Speaker to persuade and make a decision so that the state audit plan can be adopted at the plenary session on the 24th."

Floor Leader Park also explained that the three opposition parties will first begin practical work to promote the state audit while awaiting cooperation from the ruling party. He said, "For the state audit plan to be adopted at the plenary session on the 24th, the list of the special committee members must be submitted within this week," adding, "First, the three opposition parties, together with independent members, will start working on drafting the state audit plan based on the current state audit request."