The '10.29 Itaewon Disaster Special Investigation Committee' is set to conduct a hearing on December 12 and 13, aimed at uncovering the truth behind the Itaewon tragedy that occurred over three years ago. This hearing will feature over 70 witnesses, including officials from the government, local municipalities, police, and fire departments, reflecting a collective demand for accountability from bereaved families and eyewitnesses. As the hearing approaches, many stakeholders express the need for the inquiry to focus on the state's 'failure to respond' at the time of the incident, rather than deflect blame onto the victims.

Among those expected to testify is Lee Jeong-min, the chairperson of the Itaewon Disaster Victims Association, who emphasizes that on the day of the disaster, frontline responders were not in a position to make critical decisions. The investigation committee has summoned senior leaders involved in the response and recovery processes, such as former Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min, former Commissioner of the National Police Agency Yoon Hee-keun, and Park Hee-young, the mayor of Yongsan. Their testimonies are expected to shed light on the decision-making processes leading to the handling of the disaster.

Attention is particularly focused on former Minister Lee, who is under scrutiny for alleged delays in responding to emergency calls, which may have escalated the situation. Additionally, a Pakistani eyewitness, Muhammad Shabeer, who witnessed the disaster and performed CPR to save lives, stated the emergency response was significantly delayed. He argued that in a developed country like South Korea, the government ought to have implemented robust safety plans before such significant events and condemned any attempts to shift blame onto the victims as inappropriate.