Bar Association Forms Special Committee on 'Itaewon Tragedy'... Support for Victims and Bereaved Families

Formation of Investigation, Victim Support, and System Improvement Teams... Over 100 Lawyers Participate
Chairman Ha Chang-woo: "We Will Actively Convey Investigations Insufficient from Victims' Perspective"

On the 28th, at the Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, participants including Lee Jong-yeop, President of the Korean Bar Association, and Ha Chang-woo, Chairman of the Special Committee on the Itaewon Disaster Countermeasures, greeted each other at the launch ceremony of the Korean Bar Association's 'Itaewon Disaster Countermeasures Special Committee.'
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] The Korean Bar Association has initiated procedures to establish measures for protecting the rights of victims and their families related to the ‘Itaewon tragedy.’ They plan to provide legal support such as consultations on state compensation liability and filing lawsuits.

On the 28th, the Korean Bar Association held the ‘Itaewon Tragedy Special Committee Inauguration Ceremony’ at the Mondrian Hotel in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. About 100 lawyers participated in the Itaewon Tragedy Special Committee, which was organized into three teams: the Fact-Finding Team, the Victim Support Team, and the System Improvement Team. The chairman is former Korean Bar Association President Ha Chang-woo, and the vice chairman is Hong Ji-baek, chairman of the Disaster Safety and Life Respect Special Committee.

The Fact-Finding Team will analyze the causes of the tragedy, convey victims’ demands during the investigation and inquiry processes, and request supplementation if there are deficiencies in the investigation and inquiry results. The Victim Support Team will support the formation and activities of victim organizations, assign dedicated consultation lawyers to each victim for tailored legal counseling, facilitate communication with disaster victim organizations, support litigation for victim relief corresponding to investigation and inquiry results, assist memorial projects, and provide legal support to the injured and nearby merchants.

The System Improvement Team will analyze similar domestic and international cases, prepare analyses and improvement plans for the Disaster and Safety Management Basic Act and related laws, and focus on supplementing legislation. They will also propose a system to guarantee the rights of disaster victims. This includes proposing a system for the rights to participate in disaster cause investigations by forming victim organizations, the right to know about the investigation and inquiry processes and results, and the right to reflect victims’ opinions during system improvement processes.

At the litigation stage for actual protection of victims’ rights, after guiding victims on how to request legal support, they will ensure victims do not bear economic burdens and will promote public interest litigation to minimize costs. Through consultations with the Korean Medical Association, they also plan to provide psychological counseling and treatment services to victims and their families.

Currently, the Bar Association is individually contacting about ten victims and bereaved families. However, since joint memorial altars organized by the government or local governments related to the Itaewon tragedy have not been established, smooth contact with victims and families has been difficult. Accordingly, the Bar Association plans to create spaces both online and offline to connect with victims and families.

The Special Committee has decided not to charge attorney fees to reduce the economic burden on victims and families if lawsuits proceed in the future. The issue is the court fees incurred in civil damage compensation lawsuits, which increase as the lawsuit amount rises. Therefore, the Special Committee is considering initially paying the court fees on behalf of victims and recovering them later.

The Special Committee has also decided, after consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to take the initiative in contacting foreign victims and their families who perished in this tragedy.

Furthermore, while monitoring the ongoing police investigation, the Special Committee plans to continuously check to ensure that no issues remain unresolved from the victims’ perspective. Chairman Ha Chang-woo said, “(As the investigation proceeds) there will inevitably be parts of the investigation that are insufficient from the victims’ standpoint. We will meet with victims and, if there are parts that are not investigated or omitted, we will submit written statements to the investigative agencies to supplement the incomplete investigation.”

The Special Committee anticipates that a major issue during future lawsuits will be the calculation of lost future income (lost earnings of the victim) during the trial process. Many victims and deceased individuals in this tragedy are in their 20s and 30s and unemployed, so disputes with the defendant side are expected when calculating lost future income, which serves as the basis for determining compensation amounts.

Chairman Ha explained, “The Special Committee expects civil damage compensation trials to last up to three years. In the case of students, calculating lost future income is easier for those in specialized departments, but even for others, there is detailed information regarding future income.”

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