Itaewon Tragedy Bereaved Families Demand "Enact Special Law, Establish Independent Investigation Agency"

Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association Visits Gwangju by Riding the Truth Bus

The families of the victims of the Itaewon disaster, who are touring the country on the Truth Bus, visited Gwangju to urge the enactment of a special law guaranteeing the rights of the victims and the establishment of an independent investigative body.

The '10·29 Itaewon Disaster Families Association' held a press conference on the morning of the 30th at the 5·18 Democracy Square in Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, stating, "There has been no cause investigation, no accountability, no healing for the victims' wounds, and no proper measures to prevent recurrence regarding the disaster."

The group said, "Despite the expectation of a massive crowd, the government did not establish any measures to prevent crushing or ensure safety, did not respond to numerous 112 emergency calls and protection requests, and failed to take appropriate action immediately after the accident. Amid this, the public processes that the families and victims relied on failed to uncover the truth properly and could not prove responsibility adequately," expressing their frustration.

They continued, "The police special investigation ended with so-called scapegoating, and the National Assembly's state audit was half-hearted due to perjury by attending institutions and refusal to submit materials," emphasizing, "The government does not acknowledge responsibility for the disaster and has not even officially apologized to the victims and families, nor responded to requests for meetings."

A representative of the group appealed, "The facts and responsibilities concerning the cause of the disaster, the response process, and follow-up measures must be clearly revealed to the politicians through an independent investigative body. It is necessary to enact a special law that guarantees the rights of the victims by implementing memorial projects for restoring the honor of the disaster victims and continuous remembrance, as well as providing nursing expenses and psychological support for the victims' recovery."

Furthermore, the special law the group urges to enact broadly defines the disaster victims to include rescuers, local residents, merchants, and families, ensuring protection from hatred and the right to receive support. It also includes ▲ plans for the formation of an independent truth investigation body ▲ participation of families in the investigation process ▲ measures to prevent recurrence.

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