Woo Sang-ho "Special Investigation Unit's Probe Justifies Special Prosecutor"
Only Adoption of National Assembly Inspection Report on 17th Remains
Ruling Party "National Assembly Inspection Report to Be Adopted at Police Investigation Level"
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] As the deadline for the National Assembly's special committee on the Itaewon disaster investigation approaches in one day, the Democratic Party of Korea hinted at the possibility of pursuing a special prosecutor for fact-finding and holding those responsible accountable.
On the 16th, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the party's Supreme Council meeting regarding the previous day's investigation results by the police special investigation headquarters on the Itaewon disaster, "The investigation process and results are unacceptable to any citizen," adding, "Rather than an investigation without sanctuary, it was a self-investigation hurried to appease the presidential office and higher-ups, revealing the blatant limits of a lenient investigation."
Lee emphasized, "It has been clearly confirmed that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has no will to uncover the truth," and "We will expedite the preparation of concrete measures for fact-finding and punishment of those responsible even after the parliamentary investigation." He also urged again "the president's sincere apology, the dismissal of Minister Lee Sang-min, and strict punishment for secondary harm."
Earlier, the Democratic Party submitted a motion to dismiss Minister Lee, but no dismissal action has been taken. Accordingly, it has been reported that the party is considering pushing for impeachment against Minister Lee or introducing a special prosecutor for the Itaewon disaster.
Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party, also criticized, "Throughout the parliamentary investigation, the government and ruling party have obstructed fact-finding, causing only more pain to the bereaved families and survivors," and said, "If there had been even a shred of responsibility in leading the government, the person to be dismissed first would not be former lawmaker Na Kyung-won but Minister Lee."
On the same day, Woo Sang-ho, chairman of the parliamentary special committee, said on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory,' "Where is the investigative agency that would clear Minister Lee, Police Chief Yoon Hee-geun, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon without even conducting written investigations?" and added, "Under the current special investigation headquarters' investigation status, there is definitely justification for a special prosecutor."
The special committee will hold a plenary session tomorrow (17th) to adopt the final report, concluding its 55-day activity. However, it is reported that the ruling and opposition parties have not reached an agreement on whether to specify the responsibilities of President Yoon Seok-yeol and Minister Lee in the final report. The ruling and opposition parties are also at a stalemate over whether to approve the indictment for perjury against Minister Lee, Police Chief Yoon, and Kim Kwang-ho, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
In this regard, the ruling party expressed the position that the investigation should be concluded with the police special investigation headquarters' inquiry. Song Eon-seok, deputy floor leader of the ruling party, told reporters at the National Assembly on the same day, "The special investigation headquarters also conducted investigations, but regarding the punishment of those responsible, I understand that only a few people, such as Park Hee-young, mayor of Yongsan District, and Lee Im-jae, former chief of Yongsan Police Station, were indicted," and said, "It seems appropriate to adopt the report at a level commensurate with that."
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