The leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) traveled Monday to the deadly underpass flooding site and promised to determine what went wrong in the response to the flooding and hold those responsible to account.
The underground roadway in the central town of Osong, some 112 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was flooded Saturday morning when the nearby river overflowed after an embankment was brought down by rising water levels due to heavy rain, leaving at least 16 vehicles, including a bus, trapped under water.
Rescuers pulled four more bodies from the flood-hit underground tunnel overnight, bringing the death toll to 13 amid fears that casualties could rise as rescuers continue an operation to drain and search the underpass.
"I offered words of comfort to the bereaved families and told them we are very sorry," PPP leader Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon told reporters during the visit. "We will clearly determine the truth and hold those responsible to account regardless of their position or status."
Earlier in the day, Kim also visited the nearby city of Gongju, another hard-hit region, and asked Rep. Chung Jin-suck, who represents Gongju, to mobilize all necessary human resources to cope with the aftermath of the disaster.
Separately, PPP floor leader Rep. Yun Jae-ok requested all member lawmakers to refrain from going on trips abroad, and said members from his party will participate in volunteer work to help restoration efforts in the disaster-hit areas.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP)'s leader Kim Gi-hyeon walks in a disaster-hit region in the southern city of Gongju, 125 kilometers south of Seoul, with party officials on July 17, 2023. (Yonhap)
The ruling People Power Party (PPP)'s leader Kim Gi-hyeon walks in a disaster-hit region in the southern city of Gongju, 125 kilometers south of Seoul, with party officials on July 17, 2023. (Yonhap)
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) also promised bipartisan support for recovery efforts.
"We will actively cooperate in restoring this national disaster. We will maintain an emergency response system from the regional committee level and remain strongly committed to supporting efforts to restore the damage," DP leader Lee Jae-myung said at a party leadership meeting.
The DP plans to hold off any political schedules, including submitting a motion to open a parliamentary probe into an expressway project, until the rain subsides and the situation gets under control, an official from the party said.
Still, the DP criticized the government for responding poorly to the disaster.
"This is a man-made disaster, which was caused by a lack of proper evacuation and control measures," DP floor leader Park Kwang-on said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency