Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Korea honors Itaewon disaster victims on third anniversary with first state memorial
Song Hae-jin, the head of the Association of Families of Itaewon Disaster Victims, speaks during a memorial for the Itaewon crowd crush, jointly organized by the government and the bereaved family group on its third anniversary in Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis
By Lee Hae-rin
For the first time since the Itaewon crowd crush claimed 159 lives three years ago, the Korean government held a memorial service Wednesday to honor the victims of the tragedy.
The ceremony, held in Gwanghwamun Square and attended by around 800 people, marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 29, 2022, crowd crush that shocked the nation. For the first time, the government formally invited families of both Korean and foreign victims to attend.
At 10:29 a.m., a memorial siren sounded across the capital, echoing the date of the tragedy and prompting a minute of silence. The foreign bereaved families — 46 members from 12 countries — joined Korean families, dignitaries, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, political leaders and citizens for the ceremony.
Political leaders, bereaved families of victims of the Itaewon disaster and participants mourn while a memorial siren sounds at 10:29 a.m. in Seoul, on the disaster's third anniversary, Wednesday. Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung, unable to attend in person due to the ongoing APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, issued an apology through a video tribute, twice bowing to honor the victims and acknowledging the state’s failure to protect its citizens.
“On that day, the country was absent. Lives that should have been protected were lost, and those responsible were not held accountable,” he said.
Lee’s address promised a new start, committing the government to “correct past failures, offer genuine apologies and ensure no further innocent lives are lost due to state neglect.”
His remarks drew measured hope and calls for action from grieving families, who demanded institutional reform and lasting safety changes.
Bereaved families of foreign victims of the Itaewon disaster attend a state memorial for the tragedy's third anniversary in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
“If the state had fulfilled its most basic duty of protecting the lives of its people, the 159 victims would now be living their own tomorrows among us,” said Song Hae-jin, mother of the late Lee Jae-hyun, who heads the Association of Families of Itaewon Disaster Victims.
“Putting life and safety first must be the foremost principle in governing the nation. We want action, not words,” she said, urging authorities to conduct a thorough probe and deliver meaningful, sustained support.
The memorial featured videos recalling the families’ yearslong campaign for truth, including marches, sit-ins, and calls for legislation safeguarding victims’ rights and future prevention efforts.
Song Gi-chun, chair of the special investigation committee, detailed ongoing probes into 251 cases, emphasizing that behind each statistic lay personal loss and collective responsibility. He reaffirmed the committee’s determination to reveal the whole truth and hold those responsible accountable.
International voices were also heard, as Susanna Evensen, the mother of Norwegian victim Stine Evensen, shared the pain of losing her child and praised Korean families for their unwavering solidarity and compassion.
Artistic tributes, including poetry, music and performances, highlighted the national scope of mourning and urgent calls for societal change.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was in office at the time of the disaster, faced sharp protests from bereaved families.
Kim Bok-soon, mother of the late Kim In-hong, protests to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon during a state memorial marking Itaewon disaster's third anniversary in Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis
Before the memorial began, Kim Bok-soon, mother of the late Kim In-hong, approached Oh and shouted, “What right do you have to be here?” Other bereaved families joined Kim in protesting the mayor.
After the ceremony concluded, when Kim again voiced her protest, Oh briefly said, “I’m sorry,” and left the venue in a hurry.
Speaking to reporters, Kim revealed that she holds Austrian citizenship and said, “I heard from the local Korean community that Mayor Oh visited Vienna in July for a memorial event. He never contacted me once.”
She added, “I believe uncovering the truth is the real form of remembrance. Nothing has been revealed yet, so why did he even come here?”
The ceremony concluded with civic activists from the Itaewon disaster countermeasure committee reading a joint declaration. In the statement, they questioned why no preventive measures were taken despite anticipated crowds, why authorities failed to act after 112 emergency reports and CCTV footage showed mounting danger, why public rescue operations were delayed and the disaster response system malfunctioned, and why appeals from families were ignored and so little effort was made to uncover the truth.
“We pledge to stand with citizens to ensure full accountability without sanctuary until the facts are completely revealed,” the activists said.