Yongsan district chief Park Hee-young has provided new testimony regarding a phone call he had with a presidential security officer the day after the Itaewon disaster, suggesting that it was likely related to the President's prospective visit to the site. During the final day of the special investigation committee's hearings on the tragedy, family members of victims reacted emotionally as recordings of emergency calls were played. Former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was expected to testify, did not show up.

The significance of the call became a focal point in the hearings, indicating a potential breach in communication protocols following the disaster. Park noted that he called a number belonging to the presidential security chief on the morning of October 30, shortly after the disaster, and received a call back shortly thereafter. His testimony contradicted earlier statements where he had denied any connection to presidential matters during his communication with security; this shift raises questions about the transparency of communications at a crucial time.

Concerns were also raised about the Yongsan district's response to the incident, with accusations of misinformation and inadequate emergency measures being surfaced. Park denied any intentional wrongdoing concerning discrepancies in reports about the establishment of a disaster response team, attributing any errors to the urgency and chaos of the moment. However, it also highlighted systemic issues in crisis management that demand further investigation.