Ruling party chief slams list naming Itaewon tragedy victims

▲ Rep. Chung Jin-suk, leader of the ruling People Power Party, speaks to the press at the National Assembly on Nov. 14, 2022. (Yonhap)

PPP-Itaewon tragedy victims

Ruling party chief slams list naming Itaewon tragedy victims

SEOUL, Nov. 15 (Yonhap) -- Ruling party leader Chung Jin-suk condemned an online media outlet on Tuesday for disclosing a list of victims in the Itaewon crowd crush without the consent of bereaved families.

"Disclosing the victims' list without the consent of bereaved families is again inflicting wounds in their pains," Rep. Chung of the People Power Party (PPP) wrote on Facebook, stressing that legal countermeasures are necessary.

"The PPP and I will not turn a blind eye to the tragic pain of the Itaewon crowd crush victims' bereaved families. We will do our best in investigating the truth and preparing measures."

Chung's remarks came a day after online media outlet Mindeulle released the names of 155 deceased victims in the Oct. 29 crowd crush that has killed at least 158. Mindeulle said it could not obtain the consent of the bereaved families as an association representing them has yet to be established.

The PPP leader accused the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) of politicizing the tragedy. The main opposition has been calling for both a parliamentary probe and a special prosecutor to look into the case as well as disclosing the names of the victims with the consent of the bereaved families.

"I ask the DP. Since when did politics in the Republic of Korea become atrocious past the level of being cruel," Chung wrote.

"It should immediately stop the atrocious act of using the Itaewon tragedy to shield Lee Jae-myung," the PPP leader said, referring to the main opposition leader.

[https://youtu.be/tgME941HWyo]

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