Human rights watchdog chief urges Yoon to sign Itaewon bill
President likely to veto bill despite protests from bereaved families
The chief of the nation’s human rights agency urged President Yoon Suk Yeol, Monday, to sign into law a special bill that seeks a new investigation into the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush amid growing anticipation that the president will reject the bill.
Song Doo-hwan, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), said in a statement that he “welcomes the passage of the bill at the National Assembly on Jan. 9 and expects an independent investigation committee to unearth the full facts behind the tragedy.”
Song also said that procedures to guarantee the rights of the victims and draw up measures to prevent future crowd safety disasters should proceed as quickly as possible.
The special bill, railroaded by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, which holds a controlling majority in the Assembly, calls for the establishment of a special investigation committee to look again into the causes of the deadly crowd crush that killed 159 people in a narrow alley in central Seoul’s Itaewon during Halloween weekend in 2022.
The bill was supported by more than 600 civic groups from various fields as well as the bereaved families.
However, the ruling People Power Party, which boycotted the vote in protest, claimed that what they consider a fair investigation would be impossible under the current bill as the investigation committee would be partisan and unbalanced.
The ruling party already recommended that Yoon veto the bill, and the Cabinet, scheduled for Tuesday, is expected to pass a motion demanding the Assembly reconsider the bill.
President Yoon is then expected to endorse the Cabinet’s decision to exercise his veto power.
Song stressed that Korea should make efforts to fulfill the advice given by the U.N. Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) as South Korea is a member country that joined the U.N.’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Last November, the UNHRC expressed its regret over the country’s failure to thoroughly investigate the Itaewon disaster and provide sufficient relief measures for the victims and bereaved families.
The U.N. committee at the time recommended that an independent body be established to uncover the truth and punish people responsible, including those in high-ranking positions.
“The UNHRC’s advice shows that the international community pays keen attention to the government’s next steps and its efforts to determine the truth of the incident and protect the victims’ rights,” Song said.
If the president vetoes the bill, it is highly likely to be scrapped, as a veto override requires a two-thirds vote in the Assembly.
The government is reportedly mulling over separate supportive measures for the victims and bereaved families.