"Are You Not Ashamed in Front of the People?" 'Protocol Assembly Members' Taking Selfies at Disaster Sites [Seunggon Han's Political Notebook]

Lawmakers Laugh and Make Inappropriate Remarks at Gwangju Disaster Site
Controversy Over Eating 'Ramyeon' and Taking Photos in Front of Victims' List at Sewol Ferry Disaster Site

On the morning of the 13th, bouquets and handwritten notes commemorating the victims were placed on the road opposite the site of the collapsed building in the Hakdong 4 redevelopment area, Dong-gu, Gwangju. At around 4:22 p.m. on the 9th, a five-story building under demolition here collapsed, crushing a city bus that was temporarily stopped. Of the 17 people on the bus, 9 died and 8 were seriously injured. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "Is taking photos really that important?" , "They have no shame."

On the afternoon of the 11th, the third day since the collapse of a demolition building in Gwangju, members of the Gwangju Basic Council arrived at the accident site in the Hakdong redevelopment project area in Dong-gu, holding chrysanthemums in their hands. The council members explained that they visited the site as the first schedule of the special investigation committee formed by the council to pray for the victims' repose.

The problem was the protocol-prioritized behavior displayed by some council members. On that day, the members brought along an employee from the council secretariat responsible for photography. The members moved in unison, adjusting the position of the employee taking photos and staged a flower offering scene.

Some members even crossed beyond the police and fire control lines to place chrysanthemums but then came back out. There were also disturbances at the joint memorial altar set up in the Dong-gu Office parking lot.

Some individuals pointed out a public official managing the joint memorial altar, referring to a specific wreath bearing the name of an opposition party leader among the two rows of condolence wreaths. According to media reports, the reason for the reprimand was that the wreath of a prominent politician was placed in the back row. The scene of this official being reprimanded was fully exposed to the citizens paying tribute at the site that day.

On the morning of the 12th, a funeral procession was held for the first deceased passenger of the city bus at the funeral hall of Chosun University Hospital in Dong-gu, Gwangju, who was a victim of the demolition building collapse disaster. On the 9th, a demolition building in the redevelopment area of Dong-gu collapsed, burying a city bus that had stopped at the bus stop right in front, resulting in 9 deaths and 8 injuries. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Eventually, this public official cut the binding string securing the wreaths to prevent them from falling and adjusted the wreath positions under the direction of a local political figure.

Meanwhile, a local council member responded to citizens' critical voices directed at him by saying, "Who was the guy earlier telling me not to just talk? I was about to say something but held back," uttering abusive language. This scene was broadcasted as is by a television station.

This kind of 'protocol abuse' by council members at disaster sites is not the first time. In April 2014, former Minister of Education Seo Nam-soo, who visited Jindo Paengmok Port, the site of the Sewol ferry disaster, caused controversy by sitting on a protocol chair and eating ramen among the bereaved families. Additionally, some high-ranking officials faced strong protests from families of the missing when they tried to take photos with staff in front of the list of the deceased.

As the controversy grew, former Minister Seo apologized at a plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, saying, "It was a sight that should not have been seen. I will be more cautious in my conduct going forward."

Citizens are outraged. They criticize that instead of discussing practical improvement measures such as preventing recurrence, it is merely a showy administrative act.

A man in his 40s, Kim, a company employee, said, "I don't know if they are not ashamed to be seen by the public," adding, "People in government should have some sense of responsibility, but it seems like they are just greedy to get a vote," and raised his voice, saying, "It's really disgusting."

Another office worker in his 30s, Choi, said, "Those responsible for preventing disasters still seem unchanged," and lamented, "It's not the first or second time seeing such behavior, but now it's really tiresome."

A scholar defined this kind of protocol addiction as a harm that can shake the nation. Kang Jun-man, emeritus professor at Jeonbuk National University, criticized in a column contributed to 'Hankyoreh,' saying, "The protocol-addicted protocol president did not come out of a vacuum. It is possible because there is a nationwide soil obsessed with protocol as a symbol of the desire to maintain one's rank." He added, "The rank addiction of the elite group that only enjoys the privileges and benefits of high rank without bearing responsibility and duty can ruin the country."