The Life Safety Framework Act, a long-standing goal of the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry disaster, passed the plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on Wednesday. The passage comes 12 years after the Sewol tragedy and six years after the bill was first introduced.
The committee held a plenary session that day and approved the Life Safety Framework Act through a bipartisan agreement. The legislation stipulates the state's duty to guarantee the safety rights of all citizens and requires the establishment of an independent investigative body to conduct professional investigations in the event of a disaster.
The most contentious issue was Article 18, which provides for the establishment of an independent investigative body. The People Power Party raised concerns about potential role overlap with existing investigative agencies and a possible decline in expertise. National Assembly Vice Speaker Joo Ho-young also noted, "The principle that specialized investigative bodies within each ministry take precedence should be reflected in the bill."
The bill was first introduced during the 21st National Assembly in 2020 but was scrapped at the end of that term. It was reintroduced in the 22nd National Assembly by 77 lawmakers, including Democratic Party Rep. Park Ju-min, Basic Income Party leader Yong Hye-in, and Social Democratic Party leader Han Chang-min. However, it had since remained pending in the Assembly's bill review subcommittee. During the last presidential election, President Lee Jae-myung included the legislation as one of his top 10 campaign pledges, and the ruling party and government aimed to pass it last year, but the effort stalled once again.
The long-delayed Life Safety Framework Act gained momentum around the 12th anniversary of the Sewol disaster. On the 16th, marking the 12th anniversary of the tragedy, the Democratic Party pledged swift enactment of the bill. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik also called for prompt passage, saying, "There is a growing recognition that the National Assembly should no longer delay processing the Life Safety Framework Act. As Speaker, I will do my best in my role, and I hope the opposition party will join us."
