The "Heartbreaking Story" of a Woman in Her 20s Laid to Rest at Gyeonggi-do Cheong Joint Memorial Altar

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is paying his respects at the joint memorial altar for the Itaewon disaster set up on the first floor of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building.

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The story behind the recent enshrinement of the portrait of a female victim in her 20s at the joint memorial altar for the Itaewon tragedy on the first floor of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building has caused deep sorrow. Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon expressed that his heart is heavy and confessed feeling an immense sense of responsibility as a public official.

The joint memorial altar at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building was set up at the end of last month, and only a collective memorial tablet labeled "Itaewon Tragedy Victims" was placed at the center of the altar. However, on the evening of the 7th, the portrait and memorial tablet of a female victim in her 20s were newly enshrined on the altar.

The story is as follows.

The mother of the victim, who lives in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, called the "120 Gyeonggi Call Center" on the 6th and inquired, "Is it possible to place my child's portrait at the joint memorial altar?"

She added, "I was in a state of shock and could not inform those around me about (my daughter's death), but I wanted people around her to pay their respects (on her final journey), so after some consideration, I thought of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government joint memorial altar."

Gyeonggi Province readily accepted the mother's request, and after receiving the victim’s portrait and memorial tablet, enshrined her beside the collective memorial tablet at the center of the altar.

On the 8th, Governor Kim Dong-yeon posted on Facebook a message titled "The weight of a single (portrait) photo is infinitely heavy," stating, "Since the Itaewon tragedy, I have been starting my days with memorials at the joint altar on the first floor of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building, but today my heart felt even heavier," and continued, "Because there was a brightly smiling portrait placed at the altar that had not been there until yesterday."

He went on, "The mother of a victim living in Seongnam asked if she could place the portrait at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government joint memorial altar. When the government employee went to receive the photo, the mother said only two things: 'This was an accident that could have been prevented. It is the responsibility of the state,' and 'The funeral period was actually only one day.' Hearing this, I felt infinitely ashamed as a public official."

Furthermore, he added, "That mother, who regretted that the time to say goodbye to her beloved daughter was only one day, wanted to leave the portrait at the altar. The shame, sorrow, and weight of responsibility that this single photo conveys feel infinitely heavy."

He also lamented the current government’s incompetence, saying, "After the tragedy caused by the 'absence of the state,' there continues to be an 'absence of responsibility.'"

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