On May 2, South Korea’s National Assembly passed a bill supported by both the ruling and opposition parties to initiate a new investigation into the tragic Halloween crowd crush in Seoul in 2022.
Previously, an opposition-backed bill, not endorsed by the ruling People Power Party (PPP), was vetoed by President Yoon Suk-yeol in January.
The latest bill represents a compromise, as it omits the provision granting full investigative authority to the panel, which had been objected to by President Yoon’s office.
Under the bill’s provisions, a committee comprising members recommended by the two major parties and a chair selected through consultations will investigate the tragedy.
The bill’s passage follows a meeting between President Yoon and opposition leader Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party on April 29, which occurred after the PPP’s significant defeat in the general election.
It also coincides with increasing pressure from victims’ relatives and the public for accountability from authorities.
A spokesperson for President Yoon welcomed the bipartisan agreement on the bill on May 1, seeing it as a sign of political cooperation.
The tragic Halloween crowd crush in Seoul’s Itaewon district in 2022 claimed nearly 160 lives, prompting calls from both the victims’ relatives and the United Nations Human Rights Committee for an independent inquiry.
An initial police investigation, released in early 2023, identified a lack of preparedness and an insufficient response as key factors in the disaster.
In January, South Korean prosecutors indicted the former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, holding him responsible for negligence contributing to the crush.
Notably, no senior government officials, including the interior and safety minister, have resigned or been dismissed in connection with the incident.
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