The National Assembly has extended the term of a special committee investigating the Itaewon crowd crush by ten more days to January 17.

In a vote during a plenary session on Friday, 205 of the 215 lawmakers in attendance voted in favor of the extension, while two voted against it and eight abstained.

The probe committee was commissioned for 45 days from November 24, but operations were postponed, with the first on-site inspection taking place only on December 21 due to a delay in the passage of the 2023 budget.

A third round of hearings has not even been held amid partisan conflict over witness selection, prompting the rival parties to agree on the need for an extension.

Parliamentary speaker Kim Jin-pyo urged lawmakers to do their best to get to the bottom of the tragedy and establish preventive measures. He also sought cooperation from relevant agencies in witness attendance and document submission.