A committee tasked with shedding light on the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush said it will request a joint prosecution-police team to investigate two former Yongsan Fire Station officials who were at the center of rescue operations in the tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of 159 people.

The National Commission for the Investigation of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster decided during its 47th meeting on Tuesday to request an investigation into former Yongsan Fire Station chief Choi Seong-beom and the station's former field operations commander, surnamed Lee. 

The commission said appropriate measures were not taken in the stages of preemptive prevention and risk monitoring even though the Itaewon area in Seoul was expected to see a large crowd for Halloween festivities on the ill-fated day of the incident. 

The commission assessed that the declaration of who was in charge of rescue operations was either delayed or not executed and the command and control system collapsed due to a delay in activating an emergency rescue control unit. 

The commission also said it believes there was no command regarding triage or an emergency medical system.

This marks the first time the commission has requested an investigation since its launch 17 months ago.