Lee Sang-min bows head first time before bereaved families... "Sincere apology on behalf of the government"

First Official Apology in Front of Bereaved Families
Evades Opposition's Resignation Demand

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min bowed his head to the bereaved families at the 2nd hearing of the National Assembly's Special Committee on the Itaewon Disaster Investigation on the 6th. This was the first time Minister Lee apologized to the bereaved families in an official setting where they were present.

At the 2nd hearing of the Itaewon Disaster Investigation held at the National Assembly that day, when Cheon Jun-ho, a member of the National Assembly and the Special Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, pressed, "If you cannot resign, can you at least apologize?" and said, "There are bereaved families of the disaster's responsible parties, but you have never apologized to them in public," Minister Lee stood up and bowed his head.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, Minister Lee said, "I will apologize," bowing his head. He stated, "Regarding the Itaewon accident that occurred at the end of October, on behalf of the government and including my personal capacity, I sincerely apologize to the bereaved families who lost their beloved family members," and added, "I will do my best to comfort the bereaved families and communicate with them from my position to ease and alleviate their pain even a little."

Previously, Minister Lee made his first official apology on November 1 of last year at the plenary meeting of the Administrative Safety Committee held at the National Assembly, saying, "As the minister in charge of public safety, I take this opportunity to offer my sincere apologies to the people for the occurrence of this accident." However, this was the first time he directly apologized to the bereaved families in an official setting. About ten bereaved family members attended the hearing that day.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Minister Lee avoided giving a direct answer to the opposition party's demand for resignation. When Assemblyman Cheon asked, "The demand for resignation is not a tool for political strife but a plea from citizens concerned about a safe Republic of Korea. Will you resign?" Minister Lee replied, "I deeply empathize and feel a sense of responsibility," and said, "I will deeply engrave the words you gave me in my heart."

When Assemblyman Cheon asked again about his intention to resign, Minister Lee said, "In any case, I will do my best in the position currently given to me." When asked, "Is the thought that you cannot resign your own or President Yoon Seok-yeol's?" he answered, "It is my determination and will."

In response to the strong resignation demands from opposition members that day, the ruling party defended, calling it "excessive." Lee Man-hee, the ruling party's special committee secretary from the People Power Party, said, "If you excessively force resignation, declare the witness's statements as perjury, and even mention impeachment, then who and what is this hearing for in terms of truth-finding?" and requested, "I ask the chairman to refrain from excessive remarks." In response, Kim Gyo-heung, the opposition party's secretary from the Democratic Party, countered, "It would be better not to evaluate the questions of the assembly members."