Seoul City "Itaewon Bereaved Families, Please Respond to Contact"

"No Further Discussions Taking Place on Adding Memorial Space"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government urged the bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy to communicate with the city regarding the issue of the Seoul Plaza memorial altar.

On the 6th, a citizen is paying tribute to the victims at the joint memorial altar for the 1029 Itaewon disaster victims installed in front of Seoul City Hall Plaza. The Itaewon Disaster Citizens' Countermeasures Committee and the Bereaved Families' Association set up the altar at Seoul Plaza on the 4th, but the Seoul Metropolitan Government warned that if the altar is not voluntarily removed by 1 PM on the 6th, administrative enforcement will be carried out. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Lee Dong-ryul, spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said at a regular briefing on the 13th, "Since Deputy Mayor Oh Shin-hwan held a briefing on the 7th of this month asking for a proposal of a new memorial space, we have been continuously calling the bereaved families, but they are not answering."

He added, "The city is calling and sending messages through the media to encourage communication, but there has been no feedback," and stated, "We hope the bereaved families either come forward themselves or appoint a representative to communicate with the city."

Earlier, Deputy Mayor Oh held an emergency briefing on the 7th of this month, requesting the bereaved families to respond by 1 p.m. on the 12th regarding the memorial space proposed by the city inside Noksapyeong Station or to suggest another memorial space.

The city warned that if the bereaved families do not propose a new memorial space by 1 p.m. on the 12th, the Seoul Plaza memorial altar could be dismantled (administrative enforcement) after 1 p.m. on the 15th. However, the bereaved families maintain that there is no alternative other than Seoul Plaza.

When asked on the 15th whether the city plans to carry out the administrative enforcement at 1 p.m., the spokesperson avoided a direct answer, saying, "There are still three days left, so we need to observe whether communication progresses."