Kim Dong-yeon: "Itaewon Tragedy, Only Mourning Without Anyone Taking Responsibility... Gyeonggi-do Continues to Operate Memorial Altar"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is paying his respects with his wife Jung Woo-young at the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Itaewon tragedy set up at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office on the 5th.

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, visited the joint memorial altar set up at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office on the 5th, the last day of mourning for the Itaewon tragedy, and strongly criticized that no one is taking responsibility for the incident and only "mourning" is being done.

Governor Kim especially promised that even after the national mourning period ends, Gyeonggi Province will maintain the joint memorial altar for the time being and will conduct events held within the province as modestly and quietly as possible.

On that day, Governor Kim, along with his wife Jung Woo-young, visited the joint memorial altar and posted on Twitter, saying, "It is an unusually chilly weekend morning," and "Today, my wife and I visited the joint memorial altar at the provincial government office to pray for the souls of the victims."

He continued, "I visit (the joint memorial altar) every day on my way to work, but every time I see the memorial messages prepared on one side of the altar, my heart aches even more," and expressed sorrow, saying, "Having experienced the grief of losing family, I cannot raise my head before the youths who left without even blooming like flowers."

Moreover, he said, "Seeing not only the bereaved families of the victims but also many citizens who share the pain, I feel the weight of responsibility as a public official," and added, "As governor, as a public official, and as an elder in this society, I deeply feel the responsibility."

Furthermore, he strongly criticized, saying, "We remember the children of the Sewol Ferry disaster who left the world too early because of the adults who told them to 'stay still,'" and "Now, eight years later, many youths have lost their lives again because the adults failed to protect them, but no one apologizes or takes responsibility, only 'mourning' is being done."

He then recalled, "I remember the words of the late President Roh Moo-hyun, whom I respect, who said, 'Whether it rains too much or too little, it all seemed like my fault,'" and emphasized, "The failure to take proper preventive measures, the inadequate management at the scene, and the handling immediately after the disaster?all are the responsibility of the authorities and public institutions."

Finally, Governor Kim promised, "I do not know if there can be 'sufficient consolation' before the hearts of parents who lost their children, but Gyeonggi Province plans to continue maintaining the joint memorial altar for the time being even after the national mourning period ends," and "We will also ensure that events held within the province are conducted as modestly and quietly as possible."

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