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Yoon’s veto of Bill to reinvestigate Itaewon tragedy reopens wounds for victims’ families

2024-01-30 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-亚洲原网页

SEOUL - It was like a second stab to the heart for Mr Lee Jung-min, who lost his daughter in an Itaewon crowd crush in October 2022 in which 159 people died.

“Please just kill me too,” he cried in anguish as he collapsed to the ground upon hearing that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had vetoed a parliamentary Bill for a renewed inquiry into the Oct 29 incident, where thousands of mainly young partygoers converged in a narrow alley in the entertainment district with tragic consequences.

Mr Lee, whose daughter Joo-young, was 28 when she died, was among more than 50 bereaved family members protesting outside Seoul’s government complex on Jan 30.

Inside, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presided over a Cabinet meeting, where he said that the proposed opposition-backed Itaewon Disaster Special Act called for a special 11-member investigative committee to be set up, which could lead to the misuse of administrative resources and further polarise public opinion. He said the Bill’s proposers had so far failed to prove that the earlier police investigations were problematic.

The ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) has maintained that the desire of the families for an independent inquiry on top of official investigations has been used by the opposition Democratic Party (DP) for political gain.

“The pain from the disaster cannot be used as a tool to justify political strife and a possibility of unconstitutionality,” Mr Han told the Cabinet.

Instead, he announced the formation of a special committee to look into compensation and support for survivors and victims’ family members, as well as the installation of a new memorial altar to replace the temporary set-up currently at Seoul’s City Hall.

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Clutching the bars of the gate to the complex, bereaved family members shouted slogans amid tears and wails as police officers surrounded them to shield them from the traffic.

Family members are demanding accountability from the authorities following the investigations, which concluded in January 2023 that the disaster was “man-made”, caused by the failure of disaster prevention measures and the slow emergency response.

A total of 23 government officials, including the chief of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, were indicted in January 2024 by the South Korean prosecutor’s office on charges of professional negligence and others, but the trial process has been slow.

Madam Sunny Kang, who lost her only daughter Lee Sang-eun in the tragedy, told The Straits Times that she was heartbroken over the rejection of the Bill.

“It’s been 460 days since our child left, and during this period we have been eagerly anticipating and hoping for a thorough investigation. It’s heartbreaking to know that the President has rejected it.”

Mr Lee, who leads the Association of Families of Itaewon Disaster Victims, which represents some 210 family members of 110 victims, said the government was trying to shirk its responsibility.

He told ST: “It was infuriating to witness the government brushing aside and ignoring the voices of these citizens. I think the government’s refusal to enact this special law stems from its recognition of the immense responsibility it holds for the Itaewon tragedy.”