(LEAD) Nat'l Assembly passes bill on panel to probe Itaewon crowd crush

▲ This photo shows a plenary session of the National Assembly, on Jan. 9, 2024. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Itaewon probe bill-passage

(LEAD) Nat'l Assembly passes bill on panel to probe Itaewon crowd crush

(ATTN: ADDS reaction from presidential office in paras 6-8)

SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- The opposition-led National Assembly on Tuesday passed a special bill on the launch of a committee to reopen an investigation into a deadly 2022 crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district.

The bill, approved at a plenary meeting, aims to provide support to the victims and their bereaved family members and open a special investigation committee to determine the people responsible for the tragic accident that killed 159 people on the Halloween weekend in the nightlife district on Oct. 29 of that year.

The bill's passage came unilaterally with votes from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), which holds a controlling majority in the 298-member Assembly with 169 seats. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote in protest.

The rival parties had agreed on the need for such legislation, but have failed to reach compromise on some details of the bill.

The PPP has argued the legislation is designed to stir up negative sentiment against the government ahead of the April general elections, while the DP has vowed to pass it to better support the victims.

The presidential office expressed regret over the unilateral passage of the bill.

"It is regrettable that the bill was once again unilaterally pushed ahead without an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties," a presidential spokesperson said in a message sent to reporters.

The government plans to decide its position on the matter after gathering the opinions of the ruling party and related government agencies, the presidential office said, without giving any indication about invoking a presidential veto to reject the bill.

The bill does not give the committee a mandate to request a special counsel and will come into effect on April 10, reflecting the arbitration proposal by Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.

Under the bill, a special probe committee consisting of 11 members will be created to reinvestigate the Itaewon case.

Of the 11 members, three will be recommended by the National Assembly Speaker based on consultations with the victims' family members and groups representing them.

The remaining eight members will be appointed by the president, upon the recommendation of the ruling and opposition parties.

The special probe committee will be active for one year, with a possible extension of up to six months.

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