Yoon on Itaewon Tragedy: "Will Strictly Hold Responsible Parties Accountable" (Comprehensive)

Yoon Chairs National Security System Inspection Meeting
First Mention of Accountability for Related Parties
"Must Exert All Efforts to Prevent Such Tragedies"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol repeatedly apologized on the 7th for the Itaewon Halloween disaster, stating, "We will strictly hold those responsible accountable." This is the first time President Yoon has mentioned 'disciplinary action against those involved' in relation to this disaster.

On the same day, President Yoon chaired a National Safety System Inspection Meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office and said, "A major innovation in police work is necessary." This has been interpreted as emphasizing the possibility of disciplinary actions centered on the police organization.

During the meeting, President Yoon once again apologized, saying, "I feel sorry and apologetic to the bereaved families who faced an indescribable tragedy and to the people who share their pain and sorrow." By chairing this first official meeting since the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting after the accident, he effectively issued a public apology to the nation.

This meeting marked the first time disciplinary action against responsible government officials was mentioned, drawing attention to the severity of the issue. President Yoon stated, "We will ensure a thorough investigation into the truth of this disaster and transparently disclose the process to the public without any suspicion," adding, "Based on the results, we will strictly hold those responsible accountable."

In particular, he said, "To effectively respond to various risks in our society, a comprehensive institutional review regarding the authority and responsibility of safety management and a rapid reporting system must be conducted," suggesting that the scope of disciplinary actions could extend beyond the police organization.

President Yoon explained the purpose of the meeting by saying, "We will completely review all systems related to various disaster safety accidents and boldly improve structural problems."

The meeting mainly discussed various safety management system issues depending on crowded places. President Yoon emphasized, "The basic of preventing crowd accidents is to reduce density by expanding the occupancy and passage space of crowds," and added, "Different safety management systems are needed depending on the crowded places and their forms, such as subways, shopping malls, stadiums, performance venues, and roads."

He continued, "We must approach not only specific facilities or targets like safety inspections but also situations that cause risks from the perspective of disaster response," and said, "No matter how advanced the system or how perfect the manual is, if the crisis situation is not properly recognized and shared, timely necessary measures cannot be executed."

President Yoon reiterated, "To effectively respond to various risks in our society, a comprehensive institutional review regarding the authority and responsibility of safety management and a rapid reporting system must be conducted."

Inside and outside the Presidential Office, there is caution against overinterpretation of President Yoon’s remarks. The intent behind strictly holding accountable is to clarify the cause of the accident and prevent recurrence.

A senior official of the Presidential Office pointed out that in previous years, police managed to control the roads and crowds in Itaewon during Halloween, but this year’s Halloween saw insufficient prior measures and delayed response during the disaster. The official emphasized, "The national mourning period is over, but in fact, nothing is over," and stated, "(President Yoon and the Presidential Office) hold the position that the cause of this preventable disaster must be identified and responsibility must be demanded."

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