Naming Itaewon victims without families' consent stirs controversy

Politics

Published: 15 Nov. 2022, 19:15

Naming Itaewon victims without families' consent stirs controversy

Lee Jong-bae, a Seoul city councilman from the People Power Party (PPP), holds a press conference in front of the Seoul city hall on Tuesday ahead of suing a media outlet for naming the Itaewon tragedy victims. [YONHAP]

An online media outlet in Korea is facing a backlash after publishing the names of the victims of the Itaewon crowd crush without the consent of their families.

In a report entitled "We reveal the list of victims of the Itaewon disaster," online media outlet Mindle released the names of 155 victims of the Oct. 29 crowd crush on Monday. The death toll stood at 158 as of Tuesday.

Although identities of some victims were revealed through domestic and foreign media reports, this was the first time that an almost complete list has been disclosed.

The report listed the names of the victims in Korean alphabetical order, along with the justification, “Revealing their names 16 days after the disaster, may it be an opportunity for true mourning.” The 155-member list included names of 23 foreigners.

It did not disclose personal information such as the victims' ages, or show their photos.

"The fact that only the figure ‘158’ exists without a name to call in honor of the victims means that the object of remembrance is completely abstracted," the report read, continuing its justification for the disclosure. "Foreign media outlets, including the New York Times and the Washington Post, have already reported stories of many victims with their real names."

It called for follow-up memorial projects, such as erecting a monument to the victims.

It admitted the list was published without the consent of the families.

“We ask for deep understanding for not being able to obtain consent from the bereaved families as an association representing them has yet to be formed,” the report read.

It added that relatives of the deceased who do not want the victim’s name to be disclosed can contact it by e-mail.

Some 10 names were deleted on Tuesday, a day after the first release.

“Naming the names is the starting point of mourning,” said Lee Myeong-jae, Chief Executive Officer of Mindle, in a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo.

“The purpose is to become a mourner as a news outlet and naming the names of the victims.” Lee said. “We are trying to play a role in helping society share the sorrow of the bereaved relatives.”

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo criticized Mindle for publishing the list without getting relatives' consent.

The embassy of one foreign victim reportedly lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and demanded the name be taken down.

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon raised the possibility of a leak of the information.

“I personally think it's an indisputable anti-human rights act,” Han said in a National Assembly meeting on the budget on Tuesday.

“I think there could be the possibility of illegality in how the list was leaked,” he continued. “There could be a big legal problem.”

Lee Jong-bae, a Seoul city councilman from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), filed a complaint against Mindle for an alleged violation of the Personal Information Protection Act.

“The names of the victims are equivalent to the personal information of the bereaved families,” he said.

Civic groups, including the Group of Students Preparing for Bar Exam, also filed a complaint Tuesday against the leaking of confidential information.

Lawyers for a Democratic Society, also known as Minbyun, released a statement calling for a withdrawal of the list.

Leaders of the conservative PPP lashed out at Mindle, which is known to be left-leaning. Mindle was recently launched with the involvement of Rhyu Si-min, a liberal commentator and former chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.

In a party meeting on Tuesday, Rep. Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the PPP, said what the outlet did was “sinful.

“The primary goal of their sinful act is to shield the Democratic Party of Korea (DP) Leader Lee Jae-myung," he said, "who is under numerous criminal suspicions.”

PPP chief Chung Jin-suk also denounced the disclosure as “an atrocity using the tragedy of the Itaewon disaster to shield Lee Jae-myung.”

The DP, which has demanded the disclosure of the victims of the Itaewon disaster, admitted it was inappropriate to disclose the list without the consent of the families.

“It is completely right to disclose it after the consent of the bereaved family,” Rep. Kang Hoon-sik said in a KBS radio interview on Tuesday.

Justice Party leader Lee Jung-mi called the disclosure “disastrous” in a Facebook post on Monday, adding, “the disclosure of the list of victims is not a matter for politicians or the media to decide, but for the bereaved families.”

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]