[News Today] ITAEWON TRAGEDY PROBE COMMITTEE

[LEAD]
Following the special law on the Itaewon tragedy, a special investigation body was officially launched last month. This committee aims to clarify the tragedy's facts and prevent recurrence. With the trial court largely acquitting the key figures, the focus now shifts to the role of the newly active special investigation committee.

[REPORT]
The first trial on key figures considered in part accountable for the Itaewon crowd crush.

Former police chief of Seoul's Yongsangu district Lee Im-jae was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

But former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Kim Kwang-ho and Yongsangu district office chief Park Hee-young were found not guilty.

The court acknowledged the state failed to properly act in a time of disaster. but noted that officials could not have predicted the calamity and do not bear a concrete and direct responsibility, clearing them of charges.

An appellate trial still remains but due to the perceived difficulty to hold one to account criminally, more attention is drawn to the role of a special investigation committee.

Oh Min-ae / Lawyers for a Democratic Society
Beyond criminal responsibility, problems detected at the time and accountability must be verified through the probe committee or other methods.

The committee is set to reconstruct the facts from the day of the crowd crush and comprehensively look into whether there were problems in the response of state and local agencies.

Song Ki-choon/ Chair, Itaewon crowd crush special probe committee
Investigation should cover those involved in the rescue and victim transport in extensive manner. The presidential office should of course be included.

However there are limits to the committee's operation as it can run for no longer than 15 months and don't have the right to a forced probe.

The investigation will begin as early as January.

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