Public Safety Committee Passes Itaewon Disaster Special Act Solely by Opposition... Ruling Party Walks Out

Opposition Party Unilaterally Passes Resolution at Full Meeting on 31st
Ruling Party Walks Out Collectively Over "Special Committee Formation Issue"

Opposition members of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee unilaterally passed the 'Itaewon Disaster Special Act' on the 31st. Ruling party members abstained from the vote, citing issues with the bill's content, including the formation of a special investigation committee.

On the morning of the same day, the Public Administration and Security Committee held a plenary meeting and processed the special bill unilaterally without the participation of People Power Party members. Among the 22 committee members, 9 belong to the ruling party, allowing the opposition to pass the bill alone. Bereaved families of the Itaewon disaster observed the meeting.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The special act passed by the committee that day was a revised version of the original bill proposed by Assemblywoman Nam In-soon, amended by the agenda coordination committee. The agenda committee also passed the bill unilaterally by the opposition the previous day. The bill stipulates that the Special Investigation Committee for an independent fact-finding investigation shall be composed of a total of 11 members: one recommended by the Speaker of the National Assembly, four each recommended by the ruling and opposition parties, and two recommended by bereaved family organizations. It also includes provisions allowing the National Assembly to request the appointment of a special prosecutor if necessary, and contains contents related to damage compensation and relief.

The ruling party opposed the bill during the meeting, arguing that there was no agreement on the plenary session schedule and that the special investigation committee could be biased in its composition. Assemblyman Lee Man-hee, the People Power Party's secretary of the committee, pointed out, "The composition of the special investigation committee's 11 members is set as 4 to 7 between the ruling and opposition parties. How can balance be achieved?"

On the other hand, Assemblyman Kang Byung-won of the Democratic Party, the committee's secretary, countered that despite multiple requests for consultation on the special act's passage, the ruling party avoided them. He emphasized, "Contrary to their promise to protect the lives and safety of the people, the People Power Party consistently disrupted and abstained from discussions on the special act in the National Assembly."

People Power Party members collectively left the meeting as members began procedural speeches. That afternoon, People Power Party committee members held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office, strongly condemning the Democratic Party's legislative violence. They criticized, "There are constitutional issues throughout the law, and the Itaewon Special Act, which aims to create an all-powerful special investigation committee that will become a monster for election-related political attacks, will be a major source of social confusion and conflict."

Meanwhile, the Itaewon Disaster Special Act was designated as a fast-track bill on June 30th in the plenary session of the National Assembly, led by the Democratic Party and three other opposition parties. Fast-track bills follow the process of 'standing committee within 180 days → judiciary committee within 90 days → plenary session within 60 days,' taking up to 330 days for final passage. Accordingly, the Democratic Party plans to pass the special act at the plenary session by December at the latest.