Yoon rejects special act to investigate Itaewon tragedy

President Yoon Suk Yeol watches a video clip during a town hall meeting with citizens on New Year policy goals in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of presidential office

President Yoon Suk Yeol rejecteda special act aimed at investigating the 2022 crowd crush in central Seoul's Itaewon, which resulted in the death of 159 people. The government justified the rejection by stating that the act, driven by the opposition, undermines constitutional principles due to its intent to establish an investigation committee.

The Yoon administration intends to offer compensation and support to the families of the victims rather than pursue a special investigation. This plan is designed to address their needs before a local court rules on lawsuits filed against the government. However, the government's rejection is expected to trigger a backlash, because the families of the victims say they do not want compensation, but wish to find out if the police and civil servants failed to do their jobs to prevent the crowd crush.

Yoon's repeatedvetoes of bills proposed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are contributing to a growing feeling that the legislative process has ground to a virtual halt.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Government Complex Seoul, Tuesday. The Cabinet decided to request the National Assembly to reconsider an act to launch a special investigation into the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

During a Cabinet meeting, Tuesday, ministers and other Cabinet members decided to call on the National Assembly to reconsider the Itaewon act, which was passed by parliament on Jan. 9. The presidential office said hours later that Yoon approved the decision.

“The bill specifies that the investigation committee would have extensive powers, including the authority to issue orders for accompanying individuals or request searches and seizures. This provision raises concerns about the potential infringement of the Constitution's rule of warrant and the violation of the basic rights of the people,” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said during the meeting.

“Also, there are notable concerns regarding the fair and transparent process of appointing members of the investigation committee. Given the government's responsibility to uphold constitutional values, there is an obligation to carefully scrutinize whether this act should be enacted.”

When the president asks the Assembly to reconsider a bill, it necessitates the presence of more than half of all registered lawmakers and approval by two-thirds of the attending legislators for the act to be passed again. This process makes it more challenging to secure approval. Consequently, demanding a reconsideration is widely viewed as a de facto veto by the president.

The Itaewon special act is notable for proposing the establishment of an investigation committee to probe the factors contributing to and identify those responsible for the tragic crowd accident. This initiative comes in response to criticism directed at the police and local authorities for inadequate preparation for crowd control and mishandling the emergency response.

The committee will be comprised of 11 members appointed by the president, with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo recommending three and the rival parties each recommending four.

As Kim is a former member of the DPK, the government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) have been against the act due to concerns that the committee would be composed of at least seven members favoring the opposition. This disagreement led the DPK, which holds a majority of seats in the Assembly, to pass the act unilaterally.

A family member of victims of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush grabs the gate of the Government Complex Seoul, Tuesday, after the Cabinet decided to request the National Assembly to reconsider an act on launching a special investigation into the tragedy. Yonhap

Family members of the victims have been protesting Yoon’s intention to veto the special act. On Monday, a group composed of some of the family members staged a walk-and-bow rally from Itaewon to the presidential office, protesting the envisaged veto and demanding a meeting with officials from the presidential office. On Jan. 18, 10 bereaved family members shaved their heads in front of the presidential office when the ruling party requested Yoon to veto the bill.

In an effort to resolve conflicts, the government said on Tuesday that it is working on a compensation package for the families. The prime minister said, "The government will welcome a law that can heal the wounds of the victims."

Nevertheless, the families of the victims are expressing discontent, asserting that the proposed compensation is humiliating.

“For the past two years, we have never spoken of compensation or other financial support, because that is not essence of this issue,” Lee Jeong-min, head of the family group, said in a radio interview with broadcaster SBS, Tuesday.

“We believe the essence of this issue is finding the truth behind many questions surrounding the tragedy … And we believe there is no time limit in finding the truth and we will continue to make efforts to find the truth (after the veto).”

Victims' families of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush bow on a street in front of Itaewon Station in Seoul, Monday, to protest President Yoon Suk Yeol's envisaged veto on an act to launch an investigation into the tragedy. Yonhap

During a press conference after the Cabinet's veto decision, the victims' families said in a statement, “The president should exercise his veto power exceptionally when a law seriously harms the basic rights of the people or the general public is opposing it” and added that Yoon is “refusing the act for reasons that make no sense at all.”

The main opposition slammed the veto decision.

“How can finding the truth behind the death of 159 innocent people be a waste of the country’s administrative power and resource?” DPK spokesperson Rep. Lim O-kyeong said. “The Yoon government should stop humiliating the bereaved families and the general public who want to find the truth behind the tragedy.”

DPK floor leader Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo also said the government’s idea of compensating the families is “an attempt to dodge the responsibility of the veto” and is “an insult to the victims.”

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo burns incense at a joint memorial altar for victims of the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush at Seoul Plaza, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

This is the ninth bill Yoon has vetoed, which establishes him as the president who has rejected the largest number of bills passed by the National Assembly since the country transitioned to direct presidential elections in 1987.

The presidential office cites the DPK’s advancement of a problematic bill as one of the reasons for the rejection. But the president's consistent vetoes on bills approved by the Assembly are supporting views that Yoon is unwilling to compromise.