[Let's Overcome Together] To Overcome 'Disaster Trauma'... "We Must Connect and Support Each Other"

Interview with Sim Min-yeong, Director of the National Trauma Center at the National Center for Mental Health
"Individuals Must Recover and Stabilize First for Society to Become Healthy"
Accumulated Shock Risks for 20s Who Experienced Sewol Ferry and Itaewon Disasters

Editor's NoteIn the face of a national disaster with a large number of casualties, many people?including the bereaved families, the injured, rescue personnel, eyewitnesses at the scene, and citizens who watched the situation through photos or videos?are struggling to recover from the shock. Since this was a major tragedy that occurred in an extremely ordinary space, it is expected that it will take some time before everyone can find peace of mind, free from anxiety, fear, and guilt. Asia Economy will take an in-depth look over three installments at how our society should embrace this pain and overcome it together.

The entire Republic of Korea remains engulfed in sorrow over an unimaginably horrific disaster. The shock and pain of the bereaved families who lost loved ones and the injured go without saying, and even the police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and medical personnel who desperately tried to save the victims feel powerless and tormented in the face of such a large-scale disaster. Citizens who witnessed the accident firsthand and countless others who saw the tragic scenes through photos or videos live each day cautiously, carrying the fear that an ordinary life or everyday space could suddenly turn into a fatal accident.

Since immediately after the Itaewon disaster, Shim Min-young, director of the National Trauma Center (pictured), who has been in charge of psychological support for bereaved families and citizens at the government level, emphasized, "Although this tragedy was unforeseen by anyone, if the damage cannot be undone, what we can do is to help the weary and exhausted hearts recover quickly." She stressed that everyone should focus on their own stability and recovery, and help those struggling around them to muster some strength so that no further harm occurs.

Director Shim has provided psychological support to victims in various incidents, including the 2013 emergency landing of a plane at San Francisco Airport in the United States, the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster and MERS outbreak, the 2019 wildfires in Gangwon Province, and the Hungarian cruise ship accident. In the past three years, she has led the COVID-19 Integrated Psychological Support Team for confirmed patients, bereaved families, and quarantined individuals.

Disaster Causes Are Unexplainable... Nationwide Indirect Exposure Through Videos

She first advised the bereaved families, injured, and eyewitnesses of the Itaewon disaster not to be consumed by guilt. "When experiencing such a large-scale social disaster, people try to find out why this happened to them and what the problem was, and if they cannot find a reason, they blame themselves," she explained. "This is a psychological attempt to prepare for future risks and control the cause of the accident, but most disasters cannot be explained by identifying a single cause."

If one recognizes psychological trauma, it is best to receive treatment as soon as possible. The intensity of trauma is directly proportional to the degree of exposure to the accident, so naturally, it appears more strongly in the injured or eyewitnesses who directly experienced the accident. Symptoms usually improve rapidly within three months after the accident and may slowly improve over one to two years, but after that, they can solidify into disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety disorders, requiring intensive professional treatment.

Director Shim said, "Although memories of the accident will never be completely forgotten, if most of the time you live forgetting them and they do not interfere with your daily life, it can be considered a good recovery." She added, "If memories of the accident suddenly and vividly resurface or if you feel as if you have returned to the accident scene in certain situations, further treatment is necessary."

The biggest difference between the Itaewon disaster and previous major accidents is that not only those who directly experienced the accident but also a significant number of citizens were indirectly exposed to the accident through photos or videos shared on the internet and social networking services (SNS). Director Shim pointed out, "Some people deliberately seek out related news or videos to learn more about the accident or find its cause, but the more they are exposed to such stimuli, the more they may suffer greatly, contrary to their original intention." She emphasized, "Finding the cause and reason for the accident for legal responsibility and punishment is the role of the government or investigative agencies, and we should wait for our emotions to stabilize as much as possible."

She also expressed concern that most victims of this disaster are people in their 20s who previously experienced the 'Sewol Ferry disaster.' She diagnosed, "The age at which trauma is first experienced is very important, and students who witnessed the Sewol Ferry disaster in their teens are now going through the Itaewon disaster, which has intensified and accumulated their trauma, making this an especially difficult time for them." She added, "Our society must mobilize all its resources to help them gather their strength, overcome this, regain trust in the world, the value of life, happiness, and continue to grow."

Shim Min-young, Director of the National Trauma Center, is being interviewed on the 2nd at the National Trauma Center in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Feeling 'Connected' Without Isolation

The strength to overcome trauma caused by disasters and return to daily life, known as 'resilience,' varies from person to person. Even when facing the same disaster, some recover quickly while others struggle for a long time. Director Shim said, "Everyone recovers at different speeds, so people suffering from trauma should not be left alone; those around them need to continuously show interest and talk about hope and optimism." She also emphasized, "It is necessary to make efforts and practice asking for help from others when you are struggling with trauma."

She further stated, "The intensity of trauma experienced by bereaved families or eyewitnesses at the scene is very strong, and the reactions that arise may be difficult to overcome alone." She urged, "If necessary, always use public services such as the National Trauma Center counseling hotline and actively seek psychiatric care." She also recommended that ordinary citizens who feel psychological or mental unease, even if symptoms are mild, should assess their condition through official institutions’ websites such as local mental health welfare centers, the National Trauma Center, and the Korean Trauma Stress Society, and if their evaluation results are high, immediately seek counseling.

She expressed hope that the characteristic of our people to voluntarily unite and rapidly spread support will be well demonstrated in the process of overcoming trauma caused by this disaster. Director Shim said, "Just as everyone at the scene of the accident performed CPR and carried the injured without hesitation, the trauma we are experiencing now can also become a force to make society healthier if we overcome it together." She concluded, "A healthy and stable society ultimately ensures individual safety."

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