Opposition party seeks to impeach interior minister over Itaewon tragedy

• Published date: 21 February 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is seeking to impeach Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, blaming him for having failed to protect the 159 innocent lives lost in a crowd crush last Halloween in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district in Seoul.

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo told a plenary meeting Monday that an impeachment motion signed by its 176 members, including DPK floor leader Park Hong-keun, has been submitted.

After a general meeting of DPK lawmakers, Park said the party plans to put the bill to a vote at the Assembly on Wednesday.

The move comes two months after the DPK-controlled Assembly passed a motion calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol to sack Lee over his "incompetence," which it claimed let the Oct. 29 tragedy happen. The legally-unbinding demand has remained unheeded.

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"No one in the government has resigned over the disaster that killed 159 innocent people," Rep. Park said. "The government and the ruling party appear to think that Minister Lee has extra-territorial, inviolable rights … It's time to put an end to this issue."

Asked how many lawmakers agreed on the impeachment decision, he said an overwhelming majority approved it without providing details. He also said it is the DPK's right and duty to hold the minister accountable for what happened, vowing to take the issue all the way to the Constitutional Court.

The impeachment motion requires the consent of half of Assembly members to be passed. Given that the DPK has 169 seats (of the total 300) ? along with independent lawmakers and others from the minor liberal Justice Party and Basic Income Party expected to join ? it will likely be approved. Once the motion reaches that phase, the minister...