Seoul City: "Itaewon Memorial Altar, Administrative Enforcement Procedures Unavoidable"

"Any legal proposal can be mutually discussed"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Regarding the expiration of the voluntary removal deadline for the Seoul Plaza memorial altar, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has stated to the Itaewon disaster bereaved families, "We ask for your understanding that we have no choice but to initiate administrative enforcement procedures."

On the 15th, when Seoul City announced the administrative enforcement of the Itaewon disaster memorial altar at Seoul Plaza, police forces were deployed around the Itaewon disaster memorial altar set up at Seoul Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

In a statement on the 15th, the city emphasized, "We fully sympathize with the purpose of mourning, but memorials for the deceased must also be conducted within the framework of laws and principles," adding, "We believe that the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul citizens have been patient and waiting sufficiently."

Earlier, on the 6th of this month, the city delivered a second warning letter ordering "the removal of the memorial altar by 1 PM on February 8," and on the 7th, during a press briefing, announced an extension of the deadline until 1 PM on that day.

The city stated, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government has officially expressed its position that it is willing to discuss with the bereaved families to establish a proper memorial space," and added, "We have conveyed that if the bereaved families propose alternatives for the memorial space, we will listen sincerely and have continuously made efforts to communicate."

Furthermore, the city expressed regret, saying, "Despite Seoul's sincerity, the bereaved families have refused to engage in any dialogue without any response as of the 15th," and reiterated, "We would like to emphasize once again that the Seoul Metropolitan Government's position remains unchanged that any legitimate proposals can be mutually discussed on the condition of removing illegal facilities in Seoul Plaza."

The city concluded, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government will wait with an open mind for the bereaved families' response until the very last moment."