A consultative group formed by bereaved family members of some who lost their lives in the Itaewon crowd crush has called for a formal apology from President Yoon Suk Yeol over the incident.

Lee Jong-chul, the head of the group and the father of television actor Lee Ji-han who was among the 158 victims of the October 29 incident, relayed the group’s requests during a press conference at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Lee also called for a thorough investigation into the incident by parliament, an effort stalled by partisan wrangling that he said is supposed to get to the bottom of structural causes of the disaster and determine who is legally and administratively responsible.

He said the Assembly investigation is also needed for the government to come up with measures to prevent secondary damage to the victims and their families, as well as the recurrence of similar tragic incidents by devising strengthened public safety measures.

The group comprising some 170 family members of 97 victims launched last Saturday.