Lee Jae-myung "Ruthless Regime"... Fierce Criticism of Itaewon Memorial Altar Removal Plan

Criticism of Seoul City for Demanding Removal of Highest-Ranking Document
"An Attempt to Forcefully Erase the Memory of Itaewon Tragedy"
Party Meeting Expected to Adopt 'Impeachment of Sangmin Lee' as Party Stance

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The opposition party demanded the Seoul city government to withdraw its plan to forcibly dismantle the Seoul Plaza memorial altar and to allow the bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy to set up the altar as they wish, criticizing the government as "a heartless regime" after Seoul city notified the families on the 6th to remove the altar.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the party's Supreme Council meeting that morning, "It has been 101 days since the Itaewon tragedy occurred. Yet, the regime's behavior of denying responsibility and trying to erase the tragedy has not changed at all," adding, "I heard that Seoul city sent a warning letter (about the dismantling plan) to the bereaved families who were trying to set up a memorial altar to honor the victims."

Earlier, on the afternoon of the 4th, Seoul city notified that if the bereaved families did not voluntarily dismantle the altar they had set up at Seoul Plaza by 1 p.m. that day, administrative enforcement would be carried out.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding this, Lee said, "Who is responsible for remembering the tragedy and ensuring that such an incident never happens again? It is the government," and criticized, "But is it even reasonable to forcibly dismantle the altar that the bereaved families themselves set up?"

Other Supreme Council members also pointed out Seoul city's dismantling order. Supreme Council member Jung Cheong-rae said, "The bereaved families' representative is crying out that if such forced dismantling is attempted again today, they will pour gasoline on themselves and die," warning, "I hope Seoul city and the Yoon Seok-yeol government will be cautious to prevent another misfortune and a second tragedy."

Supreme Council member Park Chan-dae also called it "an idea to forcibly erase the memory of the tragedy," urging Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, "Please do not drive nails into the hearts of the bereaved families." Supreme Council member Seo Young-kyo also criticized Mayor Oh, saying, "He cried and said he was sorry and promised to do his best with all administrative power to help people return to their daily lives," but "after 100 days since the tragedy, Mayor Oh has changed 180 degrees." She also told President Yoon, "I hope you will not become any more cruel."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party held a party meeting that morning to unify its stance on whether to file an impeachment motion against Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, who is responsible for the Itaewon tragedy. If the party stance is decided that day, they plan to submit the report agenda to the plenary session in the afternoon.