South Korean Opposition Demands Dismissal of Interior Minister Over Itaewon Tragedy

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The South Korean parliamentary leader of the main opposition Democratic Party on Friday called on President Yoon Suk-yeol to dismiss Interior Minister Lee Sang-min over the Itaewon crowd crush, which claimed the lives of 158 people.

"President Yoon Suk-yeol should come up with clear measures about firing Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min by Monday, which marks one month since the Itaewon tragedy," Park Hong-keun told the party's Supreme Council meeting, as quoted by the South Korean Yonhap news agency.

The official also said that if Yoon "ultimately defies the people's will," the South Korean parliament "will sternly hold him to account for the tragedy," adding that the minister's dismissal should be "prioritized" so the deadly crowd crush can be "properly investigated," as quoted by the news agency.

At least 158 people were crushed to death in Seoul on October 29 after thousands headed into a narrow street in a popular nightlife district to celebrate Halloween. Police admitted having been warned about the dangerous crowd surge in the Itaewon neighborhood hours before it became deadly.

The Democratic Party will head an 18-member special parliamentary committee that will oversee a 45-day probe into the country's deadliest tragedy since the Sewol ferry sinking that killed 304 people in 2014. The presidential and prime minister's offices will both be subject to the probe.