S. Korea marks 2nd anniversary of Itaewon tragedy

Yoon orders Cabinet to complement safety measures

Mourners lay flowers at a memorial service held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday, marking the second anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy. (Joint Press Corps)

President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed his condolences as South Korea on Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush that claimed 159 lives in October 2022.

"Today marks the second anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy," Yoon said at a Cabinet meeting he presided over at his office. "I feel sorry for those who tragically lost their lives and I express my condolences for the bereaved families who live in sorrow."

Yoon said that making people feel safe in everyday life is the most earnest way of expressing condolences to people who died in the crowd crush in the back alleys of the nightlife district of Itaewon in Yongsan-gu, Seoul amid Halloween festivities.

Yoon ordered the Cabinet to monitor and complement safety measures in public places such as crowd management. The Ministry of Interior and Safety previously announced plans to dispatch public safety personnel to prevent crowd congestion and to put a medical emergency response system in place from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1 in 12 locations across the country, including Seoul's Itaewon, Hongdae in Mapo-gu, Myeong-dong in Jung-gu and Seongsu-dong of Seongdong-gu.

The presidential office did not disclose either Yoon's or his aides' attendance at an event outside of his office, as of press time. Last year Yoon observed the first anniversary of the Itaewon disaster during a memorial service at a church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly held a memorial service with bereaved family members on Tuesday. Some 60 lawmakers from both the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, as well as National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik, paid their respects while donning purple scarfs.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon noted in a Facebook post on Tuesday that he had the City Hall lit up in purple in memory of the 159 victims of the crowd crush. He also thanked the city's residents for cooperating with authorities' crowd control measures, adding that no major incident occurred despite estimates that over 100,000 people had gathered in Seoul nightlife areas in Hongdae, Itaewon, Gangnam and Seongsu.

By Son Ji-hyoung(consnow@heraldcorp.com)