Oh Se-hoon Apologizes Tearfully After 3 Days: "Responsibility Will Be Clarified Through Investigation"

Tears Shed While Mentioning Bereaved Families... "Sorry for the Late Apology"
Regarding Autonomous District Audit Plans: "Difficult to Audit Autonomous Affairs, Legal Review Needed"
Criticism of Lack of Control Tower Due to Difficulty in Real-Time Disaster Response
"Currently Reviewing the Safety General Office, Organizational Restructuring Expected"

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is shedding tears while mentioning the bereaved families during a briefing on the Itaewon incident at the City Hall briefing room on the 1st. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon officially apologized on the 1st, three days after the Itaewon tragedy. Mayor Oh became emotional while mentioning an anecdote about the bereaved families he met at the hospital. Regarding criticisms that Seoul City's measures were insufficient, he said, "The investigation will clarify where the responsibility lies."

On the 1st, Mayor Oh held a press conference at Seoul City Hall to announce his position on the Itaewon incident, stating, "As the mayor of Seoul responsible for the lives and safety of citizens, I feel infinite responsibility and offer my deepest apologies."

This statement came three days after the accident occurred. At the time of the incident on the 29th of last month, he was on a business trip in Europe. Mayor Oh explained the delay in his statement by saying, "On the first day back, I visited the site, went to the hospital, and had back-to-back meetings. Yesterday, there were several meetings again, and I was really overwhelmed visiting those receiving treatment."

Explaining why he issued the apology, Mayor Oh became tearful while recounting the story of a bereaved family he met the previous day. He said, "I have always been wondering when I should offer my apology, and I made up my mind this morning. When I offered condolences yesterday to a person whose 20-year-old daughter was at the National Medical Center, they said, 'We believe our daughter will survive,' but this morning I heard the news that she passed away. I am sorry for the delay in offering my apology," wiping away tears.

When asked if he acknowledged criticisms that the measures by Seoul City and the autonomous districts were insufficient, he replied, "I saw news that a civic group filed a complaint, and probably as the investigation proceeds soon, the responsibility will naturally be clarified. I think it is not appropriate to comment until the investigation results come out."

There are also ongoing discussions about the responsibility of Seoul City and Yongsan District for failing to fulfill their roles despite predictions that 100,000 people would gather in Itaewon on Halloween Day. Mayor Oh said, "When I checked with the audit department, there was an opinion that it is difficult to audit autonomous affairs, and I cannot yet give a precise final judgment on that part."

He added, "We will decide whether we can audit the autonomous districts after further legal review. Our department will investigate whether we fulfilled our responsibilities, but the conclusion will come from the investigation."

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is announcing his position on the Itaewon incident three days after it occurred on the 1st. (Photo by Yonhap News)

Since Mayor Oh took office, there have been criticisms that he has not properly responded to various disaster situations, including heavy rain preparedness. He is reviewing organizational restructuring related to this.

Mayor Oh said, "Because a major tragedy occurred, we are looking into the purpose, composition, and role distribution of the Safety General Office. I think there will be changes in future organizational restructuring or task assignments."

He also emphasized the need to establish a cooperative system between the city and the police. Mayor Oh explained, "It was discussed at the Cabinet meeting as well, but it is very urgent to establish an organic cooperative system between local governments and the police. There will be discussions on how Seoul City and the police can build a more tightly knit cooperative system."

Mayor Oh stated, "The city will devote all administrative efforts and do its best until all funeral procedures are completed and the bereaved families, the injured, and all citizens grieving over this incident can return to their daily lives."