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Itaewon Crowd Crush Special Committee's First Hearing: Kim Gwang-ho's Refusal to Take Oath Sparks Controversy
Itaewon Crowd Crush Special Committee's First Hearing Begins, Former SMPA Chief Kim Gwang-ho Refuses Oath
Today, at the first public hearing of the Special Investigation Committee for the Truth and Prevention of Recurrence of the October 29 Itaewon crowd crush, Kim Gwang-ho, the former Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), sparked controversy by refusing to take the oath as a witness. Standing in his seat, Kim stated he would exercise his rights and declined to be sworn in, which led to strong protests from bereaved families. The Special Committee plans to review whether Kim's refusal to take the oath constitutes a legitimate exercise of his rights before deciding whether to file a complaint.
Min Sung-ho, a survivor of the crush, testified that rescue efforts should have been carried out swiftly, even mobilizing helicopters, and that if they had been just 10 minutes faster, 100 lives could have been saved. He criticized the government's inadequate initial response for causing greater casualties and demanded a responsible answer from the government.
Former Minister Lee Sang-min Appears as Witness, Former President Yoon Suk-yeol Absent
In the afternoon, Lee Sang-min, the former Minister of Interior and Safety who was in charge of the central government's disaster response at the time, appeared as a witness. The focus of questioning is expected to be on whether the disaster control tower function operated properly. Bereaved families appealed to the former minister to reveal the truth as it is. Meanwhile, former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was designated as a witness for tomorrow's scheduled hearing, is maintaining his stance of non-attendance, citing preparations for criminal trials. In response, bereaved families strongly protested, stating that Yoon's absence re-violates the victims. Bereaved families earnestly demanded sincere answers, not the silence and neglect of the past administration.
*Source: YouTube: MBC News (2026-03-12)*
