The South Korean parliament, which is controlled by the opposition, voted on Wednesday to remove Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min from office, accusing him of failing to adequately prepare for disasters and respond to them, which undoubtedly increased the number of fatalities in the October crowd crush that claimed nearly 160 lives.
On the night of 29 October 2022, a crowd crush occurred during Halloween festivities in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea. At least 159 people were killed and 196 others were injured. The victims were mostly young adults.
The Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to permanently remove Lee from office or restore his position after the impeachment suspends him from performing his duties.
Until the Constitutional Court makes a decision regarding Lee's destiny, Vice Minister Han Chang-seob will serve as interim minister.
Lee is regarded as a crucial friend of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose office responded angrily to his impeachment by accusing opposition members of reneging on their commitment to the rule of law and making "shameful history."
After being impeached by lawmakers by a vote of 179-109, Lee expressed regret and vowed to fight the decision in the Constitutional Court.
“(I) hope that the vacuum in public safety (management) created by this unprecedented situation would be minimized,” Lee said in his statement.
The National Assembly, which earlier impeached conservative President Park Geun-hye in 2016, has now removed Lee as a Cabinet minister. She was removed from office by the Constitutional Court and sentenced to prison for corruption before her liberal successor released her in December 2021.
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