25-7-2023 (SEOUL) In a landmark decision, South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday rejected the National Assembly’s impeachment of Interior Minister Lee Sang-min over his alleged role in last year’s tragic crowd crush in Seoul’s Itaewon district. The unanimous decision by the nine-member court comes after 167 days of deliberations, and it immediately reinstates Lee to his position.
The impeachment motion, passed by the opposition Democratic Party-controlled National Assembly on February 8, sought to hold Lee accountable for the devastating incident in October that claimed the lives of 159 people. The tragedy occurred during a crowd crush in Itaewon, sparking nationwide outrage and demands for accountability.
The court’s focus during the deliberations centered on whether Lee had fulfilled his duties as interior minister responsible for public safety and whether the government’s response to the disaster was appropriate. Four rounds of public hearings were conducted, during which officials from the interior ministry, national police, firefighting agencies, and bereaved families of the crowd crush victims were heard.
The court’s decision to reject the impeachment motion means that Lee’s suspension from duties is immediately lifted, and he resumes his position as the Interior Minister of South Korea.
