Presidential Office: "President Yoon Has Never Mentioned the Possibility of Fabrication in the Itaewon Disaster"

"Investigate All Allegations Raised by the Media"

The Presidential Office rebutted on the 1st that President Yoon Suk-yeol never mentioned the possibility of the Itaewon disaster being fabricated, in response to former National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo's memoir containing such claims.

Lee Do-woon, the Presidential Office's Chief Public Relations Officer, appeared at the National Assembly Steering Committee's current affairs inquiry that day and responded to a related question from Lee So-young of the Democratic Party asking, "Did President Yoon make a statement that this incident was induced by a specific force?" by saying, "President Yoon said that since many suspicions regarding the Itaewon incident were raised by the media, he instructed that all raised suspicions be investigated."

Lee added that at the time, many media outlets raised suspicions such as "oil was poured on the floor," and clarifying these suspicions was "a very important matter" then.

Regarding former Speaker Kim's memoir on the 27th of last month, the Presidential Office stated, "It is deplorable to distort and publicize the private conversation between the former National Assembly Speaker and the President, which took place during the National Prayer Breakfast," and added, "President Yoon instructed that all various suspicions raised by the media be investigated whenever meetings of related agencies were held for disaster response and prevention."

Earlier, former Speaker Kim claimed in his memoir, "President Yoon said he had strong suspicions about the Itaewon disaster and could not make a decision," and "When asked what it was, he said that the possibility that this accident was induced and fabricated by a specific force could not be ruled out."

Presidential Office aides are attending the full meeting of the Steering Committee held at the National Assembly on the 1st, listening to the remarks of the committee members. [Image source=Yonhap News]