President Lee Jae-myung Orders Joint Investigation into Itaewon Tragedy

On July 17, 2025, the office of President Lee Jae-myung announced that he has instructed the formation of a joint investigation team involving both the police and the prosecution to look into the Itaewon incident. This directive comes just a month after the Special Investigation Committee (특조위) began its work following the passage of the Itaewon Special Law, which was enacted through bipartisan agreement after the tragic event on October 29, 2022. The President noted that the lack of investigative authority has left the victims' families feeling frustrated, prompting the need for a more forceful inquiry.

During a meeting with families affected by various disasters, including the Sewol ferry tragedy and the Itaewon incident, President Lee acknowledged that the true circumstances surrounding the Itaewon tragedy have not been adequately explored for various reasons. This was reported by the presidential spokesperson, Kang Yu-jeong.

The Democratic Party had previously activated a National Assembly special committee to investigate the incident at the end of 2022, which operated for 55 days. In negotiations over the Itaewon Special Law in May of last year, there was a proposal to include provisions for the committee to conduct its own investigations and request search warrants, but this was later removed due to concerns over potential overreach.

Currently, those deemed responsible for the incident are undergoing trials following investigations by the police and prosecution. The Itaewon Special Law, which was passed in May 2022, was a result of strong demands from the victims' families, focusing on uncovering the causes of the tragedy and preventing future occurrences rather than on punishment.

Families of the victims have recently met with President Lee to request enhanced investigative powers for the Special Committee, the introduction of a special prosecutor, and the full disclosure of records from the presidential office related to the incident. President Lee reportedly questioned whether the limitations on the investigation were due to the provisions of the Itaewon Special Law. The presidential office is currently considering whether to establish a separate joint investigation team or to assign members to the existing Special Committee.

The Special Committee was established in September 2022, and investigations began last month. They visited the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office in early July to obtain records related to the non-prosecution decisions concerning the Itaewon tragedy. Former Yongsan Police Chief Lee Im-jae, whom the families want to see punished, received a three-year prison sentence in the first trial, while Park Hee-young, the Yongsan District Mayor, and Kim Kwang-ho, the former Chief of the Seoul Police Agency, were acquitted.

Political commentators have drawn parallels between the current situation and the extensive investigations into the Sewol ferry disaster, which saw nine separate inquiries over eight years, including a special prosecutor's investigation. The budget allocated for these investigations reached hundreds of billions of won. In November 2019, the prosecution established a special investigation team aimed at a comprehensive re-investigation of the Sewol case, leading to the indictment of nine individuals connected to the previous administration, all of whom were later acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2023. A special prosecutor was also launched in May 2021 to clarify the circumstances of the Sewol disaster, but it concluded that there was no evidence of manipulation.

In response to requests from families of the victims of the Osong underpass disaster for a national investigation, President Lee noted the challenges posed by opposition from the ruling party and indicated that he would consider the request. He pointed out that unlike other disasters, there is no primary ministry responsible for the Osong incident, designating the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as the lead agency. The families have also called for oversight and institutional improvements from the Ministry regarding Cheongju City, which they claim has not provided any support or apologies.

However, President Lee assured the families of the victims of the Muan Airport plane crash that there is no reason for the investigation to be politically distorted and suggested waiting for the results of the inquiry. He also mentioned that he would consider providing lifelong support for mental trauma to the families of the Sewol victims.