VICTIMS’ FAMILIES UPSET ABOUT STALLED PROBE

[Anchor Lead]

Amid political turmoil surrounding next year's budget bill, the special parliamentary probe into the Itaewon tragedy is seeing no progress. It's already been more than 20 days since the committee was launch, and bereaved families of the victims are urging the parliament to investigate the cause of the tragedy without engaging in political disputes, as the parliamentary investigation committee is set to function for only 45 days.

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The parliamentary investigation committee on the Itaewon crowd crush is set to function for 45 days. It has already been 20 days since the committee was launched, but the timeline of on-site inspections and parliamentary hearings is still not set because the rival parties are still at odds. The three opposition parties vowed to conduct inspections without the ruling party as soon as possible if the latter refuses to return to the committee.

[Soundbite] Kim Kyo-heung(Parliamentary Probe Committee (DP)) : "If PPP refuses to return, we will understand it as its consent to grant the entire authority on the timeline and witnesses to three opposition parties."

The ruling party says it'll decide on whether or not to participate in the probe after passing the budget bill.

[Soundbite] Joo Ho-young(Floor Leader, People Power Party) : "We'll decide after finding out if they really want to investigate the disaster or just stage political attacks to pass the blame."

The frustrated families of the crowd crush victims visited the National Assembly. They are urging the parliament to investigate the cause of their children's deaths.

[Soundbite] Choi Seon-mi(Mother of crowd crush victim) : "I don't know how my child passed away. No institution has told me that so far and no institution knows what really happened."

The bereaved families are urging the ruling party lawmakers, who quit the parliamentary probe committee in opposition to the motion calling for the interior minister's resignation, not to turn away from the National Assembly's obligations.

[Soundbite] Lee Jong-chul(Father of crowd crush victim) : "We, the people, order the PPP leadership and the probe committee members to stop this show and return to their positions as soon as possible."

Even if the budget bill is passed on Thursday as the parties had agreed, the parliamentary inspection committee will have only 23 days to go, raising concerns that it may end up empty-handed.