Osong Disaster and Jamboree... Intense Battle Expected at Public Administration and Security Committee Audit

Osong Underpass Disaster, Key Witnesses Attend National Assembly Audit
Itaewon Disaster, Saemaeul Geumgo and Others Also Expected to Clash

The National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee will conduct a government audit targeting the Ministry of the Interior and Safety regarding the flooding disaster in the Osong underpass in Chungbuk that occurred in July this year. Along with this, with pressing issues such as the first anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy, the Hometown Love Donation System, and the Jamboree, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's audit is expected to be more intense than ever.

According to the National Assembly on the 10th, the Public Administration and Security Committee will hold an audit targeting the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and others, summoning witnesses including Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungbuk; Lee Beom-seok, Mayor of Cheongju; Lee Sang-rae, former head of the Happy City Agency; Seo Jeong-il, Chief of Cheongju Western Fire Station; and the supervisor of the temporary embankment construction at Miho River.

Officials from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety are making final preparations on the morning of the 9th at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City, ahead of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Personnel Management, and the Democracy Movement Commemoration Association scheduled for the following day. Photo by Yonhap News

The committee plans to focus its questioning on the failure to control the situation despite warning signs before the underpass flooding, as well as deficiencies in disaster manuals related to situation dissemination and rescue activities. The seating time is being coordinated. However, since these are general witnesses rather than institutional ones, questioning is likely to take place in the afternoon. The bereaved families, survivors, and the Citizens' Countermeasure Committee of the Osong underpass disaster have applied to attend the hearing on the first day of the audit and plan to hold a press conference urging a national investigation. Previously, on July 15, the Gungpyeong 2 underpass in Osong-eup was flooded due to sudden heavy rain, which caused the nearby Miho River embankment to collapse. This incident resulted in the deaths of 14 people and injuries to 11 others.

Controversy is also expected around the Saemangeum World Jamboree. Although the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is somewhat distanced from direct responsibility, it is unlikely to be free from scrutiny. In particular, at the Jeollabuk-do audit scheduled for the 24th, conflict between the ruling and opposition parties is expected to reach its peak. The ruling party, which claims that Jeollabuk-do holds the greatest responsibility, failed to have Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeollabuk-do, summoned as a witness on the 10th, but Kim is expected to appear as an institutional witness at the Jeollabuk-do audit on the 24th.

The Saemaeul Geumgo, managed under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is also unlikely to escape criticism. This year, Saemaeul Geumgo faced a large-scale bank run crisis due to non-performing real estate project financing (PF) loans. Furthermore, with Park Cha-hoon, Chairman of the Saemaeul Geumgo Central Association, being arrested on various corruption allegations, controversy over the Ministry's management responsibility is expected. Additionally, questions regarding the transfer of supervisory authority over Saemaeul Geumgo are also anticipated.

The Itaewon tragedy remains a focal issue. It is analyzed as a man-made disaster that was exacerbated by the failures of responding agencies, yet no one has taken responsibility even after one year since the tragedy. Moreover, there is likely to be confrontation among the ruling party, government, and opposition regarding the Itaewon Tragedy Special Act, which was passed solely by the Democratic Party in the Public Administration and Security Committee in August. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety holds the position that the necessity of this special act, which includes legal grounds for establishing an independent investigative committee, is insufficient.

The National Disaster Relief Association, currently suffering from recruitment and supply corruption scandals, is also expected to become an issue. Song Pil-ho, the association's chairman, is scheduled to appear as a witness at the audit. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to conduct an administrative inspection of the association within this month. Alongside this, issues such as the lower-than-expected fundraising status of the Hometown Love Donation System, controversies over the effectiveness of the Local Extinction Response Fund, and prevention of the proliferation of political party banners are also expected to be key points in the audit.