◀ Anchor ▶
At the end of last month, Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min sought individual contact with some of the bereaved families of the victims of the 10/29 disaster and almost refused group meetings with the bereaved families, causing an uproar.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security explained, “Not because I am worried about ministerial responsibility or joint requirements,” but the bereaved families are in a situation that is hard to believe.
Reporter Kim Se-young covered the story.
◀ Report ▶
On the 22nd of last month, around 20 of the victims’ families held their first press conference three weeks after the disaster.
The next day, some of the bereaved families received a call from an official from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
[김진성 / 희생자 외삼촌]
“The Minister of Public Administration and Security wants to meet you, and he asked if you would like to meet him.
When asking for a one-on-one interview with the bereaved family, they are said to draw a line at asking for a group interview.
[김진성 / 희생자 외삼촌]
“I’m coming home… If you feel uncomfortable at home, you can meet in a study room or a private place nearby, they will cover the cost…”
Other bereaved families also received similar text messages.
The question is, “Is it possible to see you for a while tomorrow or the day after tomorrow in a quiet place, like a cafe near your mother’s house?”
The bereaved family had many things they wanted to say, but the one-to-one interview, rather than a group interview at an official meeting, was demanding, and there was no belief that the story would get deliver it properly.
[김현숙 / 희생자 어머니]
“How do I meet that high-ranking person? I can’t meet him alone even though I’m nervous and I can’t even meet him in a cafe… If I meet him personally, I have to complain about my injustice, but I won’t be able to.”
In fact, it was confirmed that no bereaved family received the request for an individual interview from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
However, immediately afterwards, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security said, “We contacted some of the bereaved families unofficially, but many felt that we needed time to commemorate at this time, so the meeting of the bereaved families could not be. maintain.”
[조경선 / 희생자 동생]
“It was very uplifting. I was very angry and very unfair, and I cried as soon as I saw the article. I didn’t even say that…”
The bereaved families, who did not even receive a request for an individual interview, protest that it is an attempt at separation.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security said, “Individual bereaved families had to be contacted to clearly understand their wishes.”
He also emphasized, “I was not worried that if I met other bereaved families, there would be a theory of ministerial responsibility or a collective demand on the government.”
This is an unbelievable explanation for the grieving family.
[김현숙 / 희생자 어머니]
“When the minister said he would call all the bereaved family members and have a meeting, he said, ‘Please call me, there are so many things I really want to say.
Because the call still hasn’t come.
This is Kim Se-young from MBC News.
Video comment: Kim Jun-hyung
Video editing: Lee Ji-young
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