Responsibility 'I Don't Care'... High-Ranking Officials in Controversy
Overflowing Fake News... Leading to Social Conflicts
Parliament Fighting Over List... National Inquiry Faces Difficulties
On the 29th, about a month after the 'Itaewon Disaster,' a vinyl cover was placed over the memorial space set up at the Itaewon disaster site in Yongsan-gu, Seoul to protect it from rain. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
It has been a month since the Itaewon tragedy occurred, but another tragedy is still ongoing. For the past month, South Korean society has been plagued by chronic issues such as an irresponsible government, fake news, and politicians exploiting the disaster.
Personalization of the tragedy... No one takes responsibility
Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min attended the full meeting of the Public Administration and Security Committee held at the National Assembly on the 17th, and is leaving the meeting room after the session. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
A comprehensive failure in safety management has been revealed, yet no one has taken responsibility so far. On the day of the tragedy, the 29th of last month, it was revealed that the police delayed reporting and lacked manpower, and Park Hee-young, the head of Yongsan-gu, the jurisdiction of the disaster, did not attend the emergency countermeasure meeting for Halloween, indicating that the system to prepare for the accident was not functioning properly.
Even now, a month later, no senior official, including Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, who is supposed to protect the safety of the people, has taken responsibility. The minister, who took charge of police security affairs by establishing the Police Bureau, drew public outrage by making statements that evaded responsibility after the disaster, such as "Deploying fire and police personnel in advance would not have solved the problem," and "I doubt whether the lack of police and fire personnel was the cause of the accident." On the 12th, he sparked another controversy by saying, "Who wouldn't want to dramatically resign?"
The Yoon Seok-yeol administration tried to avoid responsibility for the disaster but ended up in an unexpected controversy. Right after the tragedy, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety sent an official document to local governments instructing them to use the terms 'accident' instead of 'disaster' and 'deceased' instead of 'victims.' Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was embroiled in controversy during a briefing with foreign media. The briefing screen displayed the term 'Incident' instead of 'Itaewon Disaster' for the Itaewon tragedy.
There is also criticism that frontline police officers are being scapegoated. News of summons investigations of police leadership such as Police Chief Yoon Hee-geun and Seoul Police Chief Kim Kwang-ho has not been heard even a month after the tragedy. Meanwhile, the head of the intelligence unit at Yongsan Police Station, who was under investigation for deleting the Halloween safety management information report, took an extreme step. Frontline police officers feel demoralized, thinking they are being 'made scapegoats.'
Overflowing fake news... Widening conflicts
While the government avoids responsibility, the public is looking for someone to blame elsewhere. Fake news spread rapidly through communities and other channels. Early in the investigation, a man wearing a 'rabbit headband' was identified as the person who caused the tragedy. He was suspected of pushing the crowd on the day of the disaster. The Special Investigation Headquarters (SIH) investigating the Itaewon tragedy summoned the man with the rabbit headband but concluded he was unrelated to the disaster.
Then, suspicion arose that two men wearing 'Gaksital' masks spilled avocado oil, causing people to slip. On the 7th, the SIH clarified that it was whiskey, not oil, and the location in the suspicious video was not the disaster site. However, the suspicion did not subside. Eventually, the police summoned these men for investigation on the 12th and judged them to be innocent.
Some people began profiting from fake news. On YouTube, unverified fake news such as "A famous broadcaster (BJ) visited Itaewon causing a sudden crowd," "Right-wing or left-wing forces pushed the crowd," and "The disaster was planned by police from a specific region" ran rampant. Videos related to the rabbit headband and Gaksital also garnered huge views.
This fake news was delivered to the public through famous figures and even led to social conflicts. Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church said on a broadcast on the 2nd, "When such things happen, there is no need to investigate whether North Korea was involved," and "It is an established fact that the North gave orders for the Itaewon tragedy. This must be revealed quickly."
Mourning and recovery sidelined... Politics missing
People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young and Democratic Party floor leader Park Hong-geun held a press conference at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 23rd, announcing a bipartisan agreement on conducting a state investigation into the 'Itaewon disaster' and shaking hands afterward. [Image source=Yonhap News]
While society is in turmoil, politics is absent. Politicians have been fervently focused on issues far from mourning, such as the disclosure of the victim list. The controversy over the disclosure of the list began with a remark by Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. On the 9th, Lee demanded at the party's Supreme Council meeting that the government disclose the names and photos of the disaster victims, claiming the government was blocking citizens' mourning by opposing the release of the list and photos.
Eventually, on the 14th, the civic media group 'Mindeulle' disclosed the list of Itaewon tragedy victims, worsening public opinion because it did not sufficiently reflect the families' positions. The People Power Party pressured the Democratic Party and Lee Jae-myung over this issue. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "A pro-Democratic Party online media outlet disclosed the list," and "Their primary goal is to protect Lee Jae-myung." As public opinion worsened, the Democratic Party distanced itself by stating, "The disclosure of the list is Lee's personal opinion."
The parliamentary audit to uncover the cause of the disaster was agreed upon by the ruling and opposition parties only after 25 days since the tragedy. However, difficulties are expected. Before the audit, the Democratic Party decided to push for a motion to dismiss and impeach Minister Lee Sang-min. In response, the People Power Party is considering boycotting the audit. Professor Lee Woong-hyuk of Konkuk University's Department of Police Science said, "There is a continued trend of blaming individuals and inciting both politicians and citizens," adding, "Although the Itaewon tragedy occurred a month ago, another kind of tragedy is ongoing."
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