[The Editors' Verdict] A Society That Realizes Its Faults Only After the Flowers Have Withered

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] There were people there. They were simply in a space where the passion of youth was bursting forth. Many others wanted to join but could not due to various circumstances. The tragedy of that day is not someone else's story.

This shameful society swallowed them whole. Too many young lives said goodbye without even fully blooming. We are sinners for having lost someone's precious daughter and son so tragically. We are the sinners who turned the heart of Seoul, the capital city, into a space more horrific than hell by neglecting it.

The Itaewon tragedy revealed the bare face of South Korea. It made us realize that we had fallen into the swamp of oblivion. Even though everyday dangers were tightening around our lives to the point of threatening them, we failed to perceive it.

On the 7th, memorial messages for the victims were densely posted at Exit 1 of Itaewon Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

We were immersed in the delusion of having joined the ranks of advanced countries. In the cold gaze of foreign media watching the Itaewon tragedy, we cannot offer any rebuttal. This is the current state of South Korea.

In the spring of 2014, after sending off the Sewol ferry children, what promises did we make? "Sorry we couldn't protect you." Didn't we vow again and again to make South Korea safe? Less than a decade has passed, yet we are repeating those promises.

Can dry excuses offer comfort to those who have departed? If we truly feel remorse, we must look back at this horrific reality with humility. We must remember and record the words and actions of the ‘cowardly adults.’ To correct the national system and prevent further misfortune, we must make every effort.

What has happened since October 29? The aftermath of the Itaewon tragedy is astonishingly similar to that of the Sewol ferry. Cowardly excuses by public officials trying to shift responsibility. An attitude obsessed with finding scapegoats to divert public anger elsewhere.

The government's actions?ordering condolence ribbons to be worn upside down or forcing the use of the term "deceased" instead of "victims"?are not just pathetic but bizarre. It is a desperate effort to prevent political fallout at all costs. Do they really think such actions can stop the public’s grief and anger?

The problem lies with those lacking a public-minded spirit who hold important positions and become intoxicated with power. The Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Yongsan District Mayor, and the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency showed attitudes of evading responsibility and faced public backlash. It is embarrassing to see them trying to shift blame onto police officers on the ground and facing internal resistance.

Those who cannot bear the weight of public office have no reason to be in those positions.

The Itaewon tragedy occurred in an alley in Seoul that is usually crowded with many people. It has become a world where the anxiety felt when seeing crowds on the subway during rush hour can no longer be dismissed as excessive fear. Although the national mourning period has ended, the wave of sorrow continues?perhaps for this reason.

I am curious about what will unfold after the mourning period ends. Will we, though it is painful, bitter, and difficult, try to find and fix every crack in safety? Or will we try to avoid the crisis thinking that just dodging the storm is enough?

We all know the answer to what kind of society we must show to avoid passing down this shameful society that only realizes its faults after the flowers have withered.

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