CLASH OVER RALLY ON YOON’S RESIGNATION

[Anchor Lead]

It seems like conflicts between rival parties are deepening day by day. The ruling and opposition blocs once again staged an intense conflict over the weekend. In particular, they engaged in heated disputes over some opposition lawmakers' participation in a rally calling for President Yoon Suk-yeol's resignation, which was held on Saturday. The rival camps have failed to find common ground over the composition of a special parliamentary committee looking into the Itaewon crush, which the National Assembly speaker requested to submit by Monday.

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Six Democratic Party lawmakers and independent lawmaker Min Hyung-bae took to the stage at a candlelight rally calling for President Yoon Suk-yeol's resignation. They demanded the president's apology and acceptance of a parliamentary probe into the Itaewon disaster. They insisted Yoon should step down if he refuses to apologize.

[Soundbite] Yoo Jung-ju(DP Lawmaker) : "Step down and resign if you refuse to repent and stop what you're doing wrong. Step down and resign!"

Ruling party lawmakers immediately protested and fought back. Kweon Seong-dong denounced them for utilizing death for their own political interest. Jung Dong-hyeok sharply criticized the seven opposition lawmakers, calling them villains taking advantage of the tragedy.

[Soundbite] Park Jung-ha(PPP Senior Spokesman) : "It seems they are mesmerized by the memories of the previous candlelight vigil. Be careful. Otherwise you will fall down and tumble."

A presidential official said it is undesirable that lawmakers who themselves are constitutional institutions support claims shaking up the constitutional order. The DP played it down as the lawmakers' individual political acts, not the party's official stance, but at the same time, called on the PPP and the Yoon administration to understand and keep in mind the public opinions represented by the candlelight.

[Soundbite] Park Hong-keun(Floor Leader, Democratic Party) : "Among our members, there are those agreeing with what the candlelight rally is calling for. They can participate in the rally as citizens. It is truly ridiculous and sad."

The two sides continued to disagree over the members of a special parliamentary committee looking into the Itaewon stampede, which the Assembly speaker requested to submit by Monday. At a general meeting of its lawmakers Monday morning, the PPP decided to reject the parliamentary probe. It reiterated its position that the investigation by law enforcement must be conducted first to find the truth. The conflict between the rival camps will likely deepend further, as the DP is pushing to set up a special parliamentary investigative committee by joining forces with two other opposition parties.