"Quiet, Kkondae" VS "Useless Culture"... Unprecedented Disaster Sparks Unexpected Social Division

Generational Conflict Surfaces After Itaewon Tragedy
Experts Urge Restraint in Misplaced Anger Expression

On the 1st, during the national mourning period following the large-scale crush disaster in Itaewon, foreigners visiting the memorial space created at Itaewon Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, were immersed in sorrow. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Ahead of Halloween Day, a large-scale crush accident that occurred in Itaewon, Seoul, has even caused unexpected division. On one side, criticism is pouring down on those who enjoyed foreign culture as a festival, while on the other side, there is a stance that indiscriminate ridicule and insults should be restrained.

Novelist and drama writer So Jae-won posted on his social media (SNS) on the 30th, saying, "Is enjoying youth wrong?" and "Old-fashioned people blurt out narrow-minded comments like 'Then why did you go there?'" He added, "How was your youth in 2002? It was a time when tens of millions took to the streets," and requested, "Please stop giving unsolicited advice from the perspective of old-fashioned people. Pray for the unfortunate young people and share the sorrow together."

This is interpreted as a sharp criticism of the continuous spread of posts online that provoke hatred, ridicule, and conflict. The biggest problem is the secondary harmful 'malicious comments' that seem to blame a specific generation. Criticism from the older generation toward the young people in their teens and twenties, who make up a large portion of the victims of this disaster, is also ongoing. In fact, on one portal site, about 40% of these malicious comment writers were men in their 40s and 50s, the highest proportion. Some point out that this reflects the amplification and expression of latent intergenerational conflicts.

In the case of the Halloween event, since there was no separate organizer, it has become ambiguous to determine responsibility for this disaster, and indiscriminate criticism without purpose is also spreading. Criticism regarding police response and the government's follow-up support measures is continuously being raised.

In particular, there is a debate over the payment of support funds such as funeral expenses to be provided to the bereaved families and the injured. On the anonymous community 'Blind,' used by office workers, a survey on the payment of support funds was conducted. In this survey, 373 people participated, and 95% (356 people) answered that the payment of support funds was unfair.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's regulations on 'Standards for Burden of Social Disaster Relief and Recovery Costs' and 'Unit Prices for Social Disaster Living Stability Support by Item,' the government can provide relief funds to the families of the deceased or missing persons and the injured. For the deceased or missing, 20 million KRW per person is provided regardless of the relationship between the head of household and household members, and for the injured, 5 to 10 million KRW is provided depending on the degree of disability.

Experts advise that indiscriminate criticism and ridicule in national disaster situations should be restrained. Professor Im Myung-ho of Dankook University's Department of Psychological Therapy said, "Psychologically, when such a big incident occurs, anger tends to come first," and pointed out, "The anger stemming from the thought that our country is still not safe is being expressed in the wrong form."

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