SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s parliament on Thursday authorised laws mandating a brand new, unbiased investigation into the 2022 Halloween crush in Seoul that killed 159 folks.
The only-chamber Nationwide Meeting handed the invoice by a 256-0 vote. It’s going to grow to be legislation after it’s signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol and promulgated by his authorities company — steps which are thought of formalities as a result of the president and his ruling occasion already agreed on the laws.
The invoice is supposed to delve into the foundation reason for the crush, particulars about how authorities dealt with the catastrophe and who needs to be blamed for it. It additionally envisages the creation of a fact-finding committee with 9 members that will independently study the catastrophe for as much as 15 months.
As soon as the committee determines who’s accountable and who ought to face prices, it could report them to the federal government’s investigation companies. The companies would then conclude investigations of the suspects inside three months, in line with the invoice.
The crush, one of many largest peacetime disasters in South Korea, precipitated a nationwide outpouring of grief. The victims, who had been largely of their 20s and 30s, had gathered in Seoul’s standard nightlife district of Itaewon for Halloween celebrations.
Within the aftermath of the tragedy, there was additionally anger that the federal government had once more ignored security and regulatory points regardless of the teachings realized because the 2014 sinking of the ferry Sewol, which killed 304 folks — largely youngsters on a college journey.
In early 2023, a police particular investigation concluded that police and municipal officers did not formulate efficient crowd management steps, regardless of appropriately anticipating an enormous variety of folks in Itaewon. On the time, investigators mentioned police had additionally ignored hotline calls by pedestrians who warned of swelling crowds earlier than the surge turned lethal.
Greater than 20 police and different officers have been on trial over the catastrophe however few top-level officers have been charged or held accountable, prompting bereaved households and opposition lawmakers to name for an unbiased probe.
President Yoon had beforehand opposed a brand new investigation of the catastrophe.
Nevertheless, throughout a gathering with liberal opposition chief Lee Jae-myung on Monday, Yoon mentioned he wouldn’t oppose it, ought to some current disputes be resolved, equivalent to whether or not the fact-finding committee can request arrest warrants.
A shift in Yoon’s place got here as he faces rising public calls to cooperate with Lee’s Democratic Celebration, which scored an enormous win within the April 10 parliamentary election, extending its management of parliament for one more 4 years.
In a gathering with Yoon’s ruling Folks Energy Celebration on Wednesday, Lee’s occasion agreed to take away contentious clauses from the draft invoice.
“I can not describe how lucky it’s as we are able to move the particular legislation now,” the Democratic Celebration’s chief policymaker Jin Sung-joon mentioned forward of the vote. “We have accepted the calls for raised by President Yoon Suk Yeol and his ruling occasion in consideration of the determined requests by the bereaved households, who mentioned they can not wait any longer.”
