Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families, Injured, and Citizens Continue 'Trauma' Management

Ministry of Health and Welfare Provides Integrated Psychological Support Information in One Place... Ensures Thorough Care for Injured Patients

On the 1st, during the national mourning period following the large-scale crush disaster in Itaewon, citizens are receiving counseling at the Itaewon accident psychological support center set up in Seoul Plaza. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The government is consolidating and providing psychological support service information to help the bereaved families, injured victims, witnesses, and general citizens overcome trauma from the Itaewon disaster.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 6th, anyone experiencing psychological difficulties related to this disaster can find at a glance information on trauma, mental health self-assessment, stabilization techniques, and government support policies related to the Itaewon incident on the "Itaewon Accident Integrated Psychological Support Team Operation Guide" page on the National Trauma Center website.

By downloading the "Mind Program" application (app), users can learn coping methods for trauma responses, insomnia, and grief reactions that appear after experiencing a crisis event, as well as stabilization techniques that help relieve tension.

In particular, if the self-assessment results indicate that expert counseling is needed, it is recommended to contact the mental health crisis counseling hotline (1577-0199) or the national/regional trauma centers listed on the website to receive psychological support.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Itaewon Accident Response Headquarters held a meeting yesterday, chaired by Jo Gyu-hong, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and Head of the Itaewon Accident Response Headquarters, to review the status of medical and psychological support and funeral support measures, and to discuss ways to strengthen psychological support for the injured and bereaved families.

Head Jo said, "The national mourning period is coming to an end, but we will make every effort to ensure that the injured, including those seriously wounded, receive sufficient treatment. We will also carefully manage the trauma of not only those directly involved in the accident such as bereaved families, injured victims, their families, and witnesses, but also the entire nation, together with mental health experts."

Currently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is dispatching dedicated staff for the seriously injured to guide them through government support details and procedures. It is also providing medical expense support so that the injured can focus on treatment, and has formed a public-private joint integrated psychological support team including psychiatrists and experts from related academic societies to continue psychological support for bereaved families and others.

As of the 3rd, a total of 1,772 psychological counseling cases have been received by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Integrated Psychological Support Team, and 445 counseling cases have been handled by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s Youth Counseling Hotline (1388).

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