President Yoon to Skip 'Itaewon Memorial Rally'... "Political Gathering"

Presidential Office Staff Reviewed Attendance Proposal but Changed Stance After Confirming Opposition Parties' Joint Hosting

President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected not to attend the citizens' memorial rally held at Seoul Plaza on the 29th to mark the first anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy. The Blue House considers the event a political rally.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Blue House on the 26th, it initially received invitations from the Itaewon Citizens' Countermeasures Committee and the Bereaved Families' Council and was actively considering attendance. On the 18th, the Bereaved Families' Council held a press conference in front of the Yongsan Blue House and delivered a card-style invitation through a Blue House administrative officer.

However, it was recently confirmed that the memorial rally is co-hosted by the Democratic Party and other opposition parties. The Blue House views the event not as one organized by the bereaved families but as a political rally led by the Democratic Party. At present, it is uncertain whether the Chief Presidential Secretary's Office or others within the Blue House will attend the event.

After the accident last year, President Yoon said, "As the president, I am deeply pained and heavy-hearted for failing to protect our youth, who are our future," and added, "I bear the responsibility as president to engrave the feelings of consolation and mourning and to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again." He also urged his aides, "Please make every effort to transform the country into a safe Republic of Korea so that innocent sacrifices never occur again."

He also personally presided over the National Safety System Inspection Meeting, emphasizing, "To effectively respond to various risks in our society, a comprehensive institutional review regarding the authority, responsibility, and prompt reporting system of safety management must be conducted." He promised, "We will thoroughly review all disaster safety-related systems and boldly improve structural problems."

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