[Inside Chodong] Now We Need Swift Action, Not Just Apologies

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@

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] South Korea has not changed. The national system responsible for the safety of its citizens did not function properly, the officials shifted blame onto each other, and the tragic victims seem destined once again to become resources for political strife. Unlike during the Sewol ferry disaster, the president acted swiftly this time, delivering a public message, personally declaring a national mourning period, and expressing condolences daily. However, in the end, the president has faced harsh criticism from both the political sphere and public opinion over the manner of the apology.

The president did not fail to apologize. At the ‘Memorial Service for the Souls of the Victims of the Itaewon Disaster’ held at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul on the 4th, he expressed "a heavy heart and sincere apologies as the president responsible for the lives and safety of the people," marking his first official apology in a public setting. Although the apology came five days after the incident, on the 1st, he privately visited the victims’ mourning hall and said, "I am sorry as the president that the state could not properly protect you," a remark later disclosed through a presidential office briefing.

The statements following the first official apology carried weight. At the ‘Consolation Worship’ the day before, he said, "My heart is heavy. It truly pains me. The regret for not protecting the young lives in their prime will never leave me." On the 7th, at the ‘National Safety System Inspection Meeting’ which he personally chaired, he announced, "Those responsible will be strictly held accountable."

However, the opposition parties continue to demand an official apology. They repeatedly use terms like “profound repentance” and “unlimited responsibility,” insisting that "it is never too much to apologize sincerely and repeatedly until the people say it is enough." The ruling party does not back down either, countering with "What did the Democratic Party and President Moon Jae-in do after the Sewol ferry disaster?" Their argument is that despite claiming to prioritize safety, they failed to maintain safety nets in various areas over the past five years. This incident has once again become a subject of political conflict.

The president’s continuous visits to the memorial altar without missing a day since the disaster, participation in various religious events, and repeated expressions of responsibility and apology are unprecedented among previous leaders. However, as the national mourning period ends and the government begins to discuss concrete follow-up measures, it seems unlikely that the president’s apology will meet the opposition’s expectations.

Therefore, it is time to set aside the controversy over the apology and swiftly revise laws and systems to raise the level of social safety with everyone’s cooperation. After the disaster, institutions trying to evade responsibility by claiming it was an "event without an organizer" have effectively admitted that South Korea is a developing country. This also reflects the government’s failure to break the vicious cycle of failing to establish effective measures after major disasters and using them only as political tools.

The ineffective national safety system, into which massive public funds were poured, must be thoroughly reviewed. The ‘Disaster Safety Communication Network,’ built at a cost of 1.5 trillion won to prevent a ‘second Sewol ferry disaster,’ was not properly utilized during this incident. The government cited ‘lack of training’ as the reason.

Although the president is reluctant to apologize, regarding the heavy rain damage concentrated in the metropolitan area last August, he said, "On behalf of the government, I apologize to the people who suffered inconvenience," and stated, "The state bears unlimited responsibility for the safety of its people." According to the president’s logic, the president and government must bear unlimited responsibility for this incident as well. It is encouraging that the ‘National Safety System Inspection Meeting,’ the first step toward system reform, was held as a working meeting within half a day of the president’s directive and followed by a main meeting within a week. We hope this is not the first link in another vicious cycle of disaster occurrence, public anger, delayed apology, and meaningless prevention measures. / Political Department Deputy Chief Baek Kyunghwan

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