[The Editors' Verdict] "We" Must Overcome the Itaewon Trauma Together

It hurts. South Korea is in great pain. The shock of that night expanded into sorrow and regret, and a sense of helplessness came over us. At the same time, anger surged. Some shed tears, some expressed anger. Others were engulfed by fear of death. The scenes witnessed through the news and social network services (SNS) still linger in my mind. Memories from about 8 years and 6 months ago resurfaced. The Sewol ferry disaster. It hurt just as much then as it does now. We suffered another psychological trauma.

How can we express the grief and despair of the bereaved families, and how can we comprehend the wounds of those who survived by risking their lives at the scene? How will even those citizens who were not there forget the deep pain that pierces their hearts? How do we overcome trauma?

First, it is necessary to mourn the victims of the disaster and show special attention and care to the bereaved families and the injured. Their pain should not be dismissed as someone else’s problem. In the past, some bereaved family members of victims were overwhelmed by guilt and made extreme choices. Helping them is a process through which we all heal. It is also wrong to disparage or blame the victims. Everyone has the freedom to enjoy and have fun within the bounds of law and morality. The state must guarantee such freedoms and rights. Safety must also be ensured. Both the Sewol ferry disaster and the Itaewon tragedy were incidents that anyone could have experienced. To prevent secondary damage to victims such as the deceased, bereaved families, and the injured, efforts are needed not only from individuals but also from society as a whole.

Establishing measures to prevent similar accidents from happening again is also important in healing trauma. Without trust in prevention measures, we will continue to live in anxiety. There must be no doubt about the prevention plans presented by the state and society. Safety measures must be prepared for various events and gatherings where large crowds assemble. The risks of crowded spaces such as subways and buses must be re-emphasized, and ways to resolve these risks should be considered. The causes of this disaster must be thoroughly investigated, and those who failed to fulfill their duties must be held accountable. Without this process, prevention of recurrence is impossible. If there were mistakes by the police or public institutions, they must all be identified and corrected.

There are cases where all systems must function perfectly to prevent disasters. Even a single failure can cause a major accident. Nuclear power plant accidents are a prime example. Conversely, many disasters could have been prevented if just one thing had worked properly. When everyone shifts responsibility and ignores their duties, the system breaks down. The Itaewon tragedy is such a case. If the district office, police, or merchants’ association had paid more attention to safety somewhere, it might not have happened.

We know well what we must do now. Maximum understanding and consideration for those who are suffering. This is not about you or me, but about what we must do together. We must overcome trauma with the power of the community. This is the responsibility of the living. I want to say this to you: "Let’s overcome this together."

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