[Itaewon Disaster] Accountability of Administrative Authorities... Han Deok-su "There Are Many Objections"

Local Governments and Police Criticized for Inadequate Pre-Deployment
Han Deok-su: "Accident Causes Must Be Thoroughly Investigated"
Lee Sang-min's Responsibility Avoidance Remarks Also Controversial
Han Deok-su: "More Police Personnel Deployed Than Usual Despite Efforts"
"Experts and Ruling-Opposition Cooperation Urgently Needed for Countermeasures"
Mourners Also Point Out Insufficient Police Deployment Response

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Itaewon accident set up at Seoul Plaza on the morning of the 31st to pay their respects.

There is growing debate over the responsibility of the government and administrative authorities regarding the cause of the Itaewon incident, which resulted in the greatest loss of life since the Sewol ferry disaster. On this day, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who visited the joint memorial altar, emphasized that "there are many objections" to the government's responsibility and stressed the urgent need to establish measures to prevent recurrence.

After paying respects at the joint memorial altar set up at Seoul Plaza on the 31st, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo expressed, "I offer my condolences to the bereaved families who are experiencing immeasurable grief." Regarding the increasing focus on the responsibility of local governments and the police in this tragedy, he said, "There are many objections to that, and I think the exact cause of the accident should be thoroughly investigated and revealed."

In response to criticism that negative public opinion is spreading over Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min's remarks, Han said, "Overall, I think it was meant to explain that a larger number of police personnel than usual were deployed and worked hard in various ways, including being dispatched to the accident site." The previous day, Minister Lee sparked controversy by stating at an emergency countermeasure briefing, "Deploying police and fire personnel was not a problem that could be solved simply by their presence."

As of 6 p.m. on the day, the death toll from the Itaewon incident was counted at 154, with 149 injured. Among the deceased, 26 were foreigners. A total of 4,024 missing person reports had been filed with the Seoul city authorities by the previous day.

Prime Minister Han said, "Identification of those who died at the scene is almost complete, with only a few foreigners and one or two domestic individuals remaining," and emphasized, "It is most urgent to identify the deceased, carry out appropriate funeral procedures, and work with experts and bipartisan cooperation to devise measures to prevent such a horrific accident from happening again."

Han also stated, "I view positively that opposition parties, including Representative Lee Jae-myung, seem to be aiming to improve policies rather than dragging the Itaewon incident into political strife."

At Seoul Plaza, where the joint memorial altar was set up, visitors gathered in small groups as the condolence ceremony began. To the left of the altar, a booth for on-site psychological support counseling for Itaewon was installed.

Jung Won-woo, a student at Korea University, said, "I think the police should have prepared for the large crowd. Even deploying 700 police officers could have ensured safety," adding, "There were cases where videos of victims' bodies or CPR scenes were shared, which must have shocked many people."

Jung Ji-wook, in his 40s, who took the first train from Busan to pay respects after hearing the news of the Itaewon incident, said, "Having worked as a career soldier for a long time and knowing CPR, I thought that if I had been there, I might have been able to save at least one person," and added, "I also think it would be good if emergency preparedness training could be given for 5 to 10 minutes during nationwide health checkups."

Park, in his 30s, who came to mourn a deceased acquaintance, said, "I visited the site the day before, and thinking that it could have been my responsibility is very distressing," adding, "Other acquaintances are also so shocked that they cannot focus on their work."

On the 31st, citizens are paying their respects at the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Itaewon accident, set up at Noksapyeong Square in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Despite expectations of a crowd exceeding 100,000?more than 20,000 people greater than last year?the administrative authorities' measures were insufficient. From the 31st, Seoul Plaza focused only on promoting quarantine measures, without preparing any substantial safety plans. On the 20th, Seoul City issued an official letter stating, "As a large crowd is expected around entertainment venues on Halloween Day, it is necessary to promote and manage compliance with daily quarantine rules," and implemented quarantine rule promotions. However, Seoul City only established quarantine measures and did not pay attention to on-site order management.

Yongsan District held an 'Emergency Countermeasure Meeting for Halloween Day' on the 27th, but it was limited to reviewing departmental plans under the deputy mayor's chairmanship. Safety inspections planned from the 27th to the 31st focused mainly on quarantine and disinfection, guidance and inspection of food service establishments, the World Food Street, club areas, and subway station facilities. This was a different atmosphere compared to last year's Halloween Day when Seoul City had established a 'Special Quarantine Plan' and conducted large-scale joint crackdowns with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the Ministry of Justice. Since this was the first Halloween Day after the outdoor mask mandate was lifted, quarantine enforcement obligations were relaxed, and administrative authorities did not control the site.

Yongsan District held a meeting with the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association and others on the 26th, three days before the accident, but in reality, safety management measures were left to the merchants. No separate safety manuals were prepared. A Yongsan District official said, "Although it is a voluntarily gathered event, we asked the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association to manage outdoor tables and other facilities in preparation for the large crowds," adding, "Itaewon merchants also took command batons and worked with the police to maintain order, but it was difficult to control due to the overwhelming crowd."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.