Yoon Suk-yeol directly apologizes to nation for Itaewon tragedy

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Yoon Suk-yeol directly apologizes to nation for Itaewon tragedy

Published: 07 Nov. 2022, 17:09

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks in a meeting reviewing national safety regulations at the presidential office in Yongsan district, central Seoul, Monday, in the aftermath of the Itaewon tragedy. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk-yeol directly apologized to the Korean public for the deadly crush in Itaewon that killed 156 and promised to punish whoever was responsible.

"While I dare not compare my feelings to that of parents who have lost their sons and daughters, I grieve and my heart is heavy as the president, who should protect people's lives and safety," Yoon said in a meeting Monday reviewing the national safety system. "I am sorry and apologetic to the bereaved families who are facing an indescribable tragedy and to the people who are sharing in the pain and sadness."

This was seen as the president's first formal apology to the nation since the crush in Itaewon in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Oct. 29 that killed 156, including 26 foreigners, and injured 197, including 33 seriously.

On Friday at the Joggye Temple in central Seoul, Yoon said he was "profoundly heartbroken and sorry" in remarks made during a Buddhist memorial service commemorating the victims of the tragedy.

He repeated such sentiments at a Christian service Saturday and attended a Mass at the Myeong-dong Cathedral Sunday to commemorate the victims.

None of those statements were considered formal public apologies.

He was accompanied by first lady Kim Keon-hee all three times.

During the meeting at the Yongsan presidential office on Monday, Yoon said that there needs to be a "sweeping institutional review of who holds authority and responsibility in safety management and of the rapid reporting system [by the police]."

He added that "major innovations in the way police prepare against risks and prevent accidents" are needed in order to protect the public.

The meeting Monday to discuss a crowd management system was attended by officials including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, Yoon Hee-keun, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, and Nam Hwa-yeong, acting commissioner general of the National Fire Agency. It also included experts on disasters and safety.

"The government must not only recover from this disaster with responsibility but also put all its efforts into making a safe Republic of Korea to ensure that a tragedy like this does not happen again," said Yoon. "To this end, the government will conduct a sweeping review of systems related to various disasters and accidents and boldly improve the structural problems that have stacked up."

He pointed out that "various safety management systems" are required depending on the type of crowd such as in subways, shopping malls, stadiums, concert halls and roads.

"We will ensure that the truth is thoroughly investigated," Yoon promised, "and the process will be disclosed to the public in a transparent manner. Based on the results, those responsible will be held strictly accountable."

Yoon's remarks come amid snowballing evidence that the police, local government authorities and other figures responsible for public safety were negligent in advance of the tragedy and slow to respond after it.

Prime Minister Han also issued an apology Monday.

"As the prime minister in charge of state affairs in relation to the disaster in Itaewon, I sincerely apologize to the people," Han said during a parliamentary meeting at the National Assembly.

The Democratic Party (DP) has called for the interior minister, prime minister and national police chief to step down. It is also pushing for a special counsel probe into the government's handling of the Itaewon disaster.

"The period of mourning and remembrance of victims has passed, and it is now time for those who were responsible to be held accountable," said DP Chairman Lee Jae-myung in a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly Monday morning.

"Through a neutral special probe, the truth should be thoroughly investigated and strict punishment should follow," said Lee.

"The president is ultimately responsible for the disaster as the top government official and needs to give a sincere and solemn public apology," he added.

A weeklong national mourning period ended on Saturday.

From Oct. 31, President Yoon paid respects daily to the victims at mourning alters in Seoul.

More than 117,000 people paid respects at mourning altars in Seoul as of Sunday. There were altars also set up in 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

Foreign dignitaries including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso paid respects to the victims during visits to Seoul last week.

While the main mourning alter in Seoul Plaza near City Hall was closed on Saturday, a makeshift altar near the site of the tragedy in Itaewon is still open.

Funeral services for all 130 Korean victims had been carried out as of Sunday, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, while funerals for 17 foreign nationals have been held.

According to Seoul's Foreign Ministry, the bodies of six foreign nationals will be repatriated sometime this week.

The special police investigation team under the National Police Agency is also working on a probe into what exactly happened on the night of Oct. 29.

On Monday, police said it booked six people related to the disaster on charges of negligence of duty that resulted in death.

This included Lee Im-jae, former chief of the Yongsan Police Station, Yongsan District Office head Park Hee-young, Choi Seong-beom, chief of Yongsan Fire Station, and Ryu Mi-jin, a situation monitoring officer at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency who was on duty the night of the tragedy.

Two other officials from the intelligence unit at the Yongsan Police Station are charged with abuse of authority and destruction of evidence.

The special team is looking into why officials at the Yongsan Police Station deleted an internal report written a few days before the tragedy detailing safety concerns in Itaewon ahead of Halloween.

The investigation team finished analyzing about 600 pieces of evidence and analyzed 6,500 recordings of the scene. They also spoke to 154 people, including officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Yongsan Police Station, and eyewitnesses.

"The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Seoul Metropolitan Government are also under legal review over their responsibilities and roles," said a spokesman for the investigation, Kim Dong-wook, in a press briefing Monday.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]