Seoul Plaza Memorial Altar Faces Demolition Notice Amid Public Opposition... Will Seoul Metropolitan Council Intervene?

Seoul City - Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families' 'Memorial Altar' Installation Conflict
Seoul City Council "Will Intervene if Conflict Persists"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The bereaved families of the Itaewon disaster and the Seoul Metropolitan Government are at odds over the installation of a memorial altar at Seoul Plaza. In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Council has stated that it may intervene as a mediator if the conflict continues.

The 10·29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association (the Association) and civic groups caused friction with the Seoul Metropolitan Government by suddenly installing a memorial altar at Seoul Plaza on the 4th, the 100th day since the disaster.

On the 6th, a citizen is paying tribute to the victims at the joint memorial altar for the 1029 Itaewon disaster victims installed in front of Seoul City Hall Plaza. The Itaewon Disaster Citizens' Countermeasures Committee and the Bereaved Families' Association set up the altar at Seoul Plaza on the 4th, but Seoul City announced that if the altar is not voluntarily removed by 1 PM on the 6th, administrative enforcement will be carried out. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Currently, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has requested voluntary removal and extended the deadline from the 6th to the 15th. The city asked the bereaved families to "decide whether to accept the proposal to establish a memorial space inside Noksapyeong Station, and if not, to suggest alternatives by the 12th." It also emphasized that it will respond firmly to any unauthorized or illegal installations.

The Association stated that so far, there have only been unilateral requests for meetings from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, with no consultations regarding the memorial space at Noksapyeong Station. They also argued that the fourth basement floor of Noksapyeong Station, which is being considered as the memorial space, is not suitable for a memorial altar due to poor accessibility and lack of foot traffic. On the afternoon of the 7th, the Association issued a statement urging, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government should come with appropriate alternatives and request consultations."

As the issue of installing the memorial altar shows signs of prolonging, concerns have arisen that conflicts similar to those during the Sewol ferry disaster may reoccur. Previously, the Sewol ferry memorial space began in July 2014 as a tent to commemorate the April 16 Sewol ferry disaster and was maintained as a memory and safety exhibition space (memory space) for seven years. However, prolonged conflicts ensued, with some conservative groups demanding "the plaza be returned to the citizens," leading to extreme confrontations with the Sewol bereaved families. Incidents of assault and insults against the families occurred, and the memory space became marred by violence and conflict during this process.

Given the high public opposition to the installation of the memorial altar at Seoul Plaza, there are concerns that conflicts with citizens may escalate. In fact, six out of ten Seoul residents oppose the installation of memorial altars at Gwanghwamun Plaza or Seoul Plaza. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, a public opinion survey was conducted by Realmeter involving 1,007 residents aged 18 or older living in Seoul regarding the installation of the Itaewon disaster memorial altar in the plaza. The results showed that 60.4% opposed the installation, 37.7% supported it, and 1.9% were unsure.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council stated that it may intervene as a mediator if the conflict over the altar installation continues. On the 10th, Kim Hyun-gi, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, appeared on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" and said, "Considering the feelings of parents who lost their beloved children, we think we should take a step back and resolve this through mutual persuasion and dialogue," adding, "If there is no point of contact with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, our council may step in."

Chairperson Kim said, "If clashes continue, the Seoul Metropolitan Council may even form a countermeasure committee to mediate," and added, "For example, the Sewol ferry memory space is right in front of our Seoul Metropolitan Council. The contract period for the memory space installation ended in late June last year, but it still exists. Our council is also looking for opportunities from a standpoint of understanding each other's feelings."

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