Main opposition Democratic Party(DP) leader Lee Jae-myung reiterated his call for President Yoon Suk Yeol not to veto a special bill seeking an independent investigation into the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush disaster.

At a Supreme Council meeting on Monday, Lee noted that a presidential veto of the bill passed by the opposition-strong parliament is expected to occur, while urging Yoon not to attempt to overpower the victims' families and the public.

Calling the administration "cold-blooded," the opposition chief said no one is willing to take responsibility or issue a sincere apology despite the loss of 159 innocent lives.

The Cabinet is widely expected to recommend that the president veto the bill on Tuesday to later be approved by Yoon, citing the bill's passage without partisan consensus and a lack of fairness in the probe.

As for defense minister Shin Won-sik's recent remarks endorsing full military support for war-ravaged Ukraine that prompted a warning from Russia, Lee criticized the ministry for aggravating a security crisis rather than managing the situation with discretion.