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Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min, who was criticized by public opinion after saying that this disaster was not a problem that could be solved by dispatching the police in advance, revealed his position to SBS reporters today (4th).

Minister Lee said he would go to the National Assembly next week to explain his situation and general details.



Correspondent Kim Sang-min.



<Reporter>



A joint incense burner for the Itaewon disaster at Noksapyeong Station Square in Seoul.



Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Interior and Safety, prepares a condolence log and continues with flowers and silence.



Unlike the past three days where he and President Yoon Seok-yeol visited the joint incense burner in Seoul Plaza, he went to mourn alone today.



On the 2nd, he did not even attend the main headquarters meeting and paid tribute to the president, but he took a different step.



Minister Lee's remarks sparked controversy right after the Itaewon disaster.



[Lee Sang-min / Minister of Public Administration and Security (30th of last month): Unlike usual, it was not a problem that could be solved by dispatching police or firefighters in advance…

.]



The attitude of Minister Lee who met with SBS reporters today was quite different from before.



He said that handling the accident was a top priority, but he said he would reveal his fate at the National Assembly next week.



[Lee Sang-min / Minister of Public Administration and Security: (There is talk that the Minister of Public Administration and Security should be fired from within the ruling party, do you have any thoughts on where you are going?) I will tell you later.

After all, the Security Council is also held on Mondays.

I'll tell you.

(Are you talking about where you are going in the National Assembly?) Let me give you an overview.]



It is also revealed that the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, which should act as a disaster control tower, does not even have a basic situation reporting system.



There was only a reporting system from the fire department, and no reporting channels from the police.



They even created a police department and became the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, which effectively commanded the police, but the emergency response system had a hole in it.



(Video coverage: Jeon Gyeong-bae and Lee Sang-hak, video editing: Choi Jin-hwa)