President Yoon Suk-yeol has decided not to attend the first anniversary memorial rally for the Itaewon tragedy, but the bereaved families have once again extended an invitation, emphasizing that it is a purely memorial event.
On the 16th, marking the start of the focused memorial period ahead of the first anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy, a foreigner is seen looking at the portraits of the victims at the altar in front of Seoul City Hall Plaza. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@
On the 26th, the Itaewon Tragedy Bereaved Families Association (the Association) and the Citizens' Countermeasure Committee issued a statement saying, "We respectfully invite President Yoon to the first anniversary citizen memorial rally to be held at Seoul Plaza on the 29th," adding, "We will keep a seat next to the bereaved families empty for him."
The Blue House reportedly received an invitation to the memorial event from the bereaved families on the 18th and deliberated on President Yoon's attendance but ultimately decided not to participate. This decision was made due to concerns that the event could become a political rally, as opposition parties such as the Democratic Party of Korea are co-hosting.
The bereaved families explained that in the early stages of preparing the memorial rally, the Seoul Metropolitan Government did not permit the event to be held at Seoul Plaza, which led to co-hosting with opposition parties. The Association stated, "We had no choice but to file a rally report for Sejong-daero, the road next to the incense altar, and to prevent safety accidents and secure active cooperation from the police and local government, co-hosting with the opposition parties was inevitable." They added, "One week before the memorial rally, negotiations with the Seoul Metropolitan Government resumed, and it was agreed that the city would cooperate unconditionally to allow the memorial rally to be held at Seoul Plaza."
Furthermore, they said, "This rally will be a place for sincere remembrance and mourning, as well as a call for the enactment of a special law to investigate the truth of the Itaewon tragedy." They emphasized, "For the bereaved families, distinctions such as progressive or conservative, ruling or opposition parties do not matter. Anyone who genuinely mourns together and is willing to walk the path to uncover the truth of the tragedy and restore the honor of the victims is ready to join hands and walk together."
The first anniversary memorial rally will be held at 5 p.m. on the 29th at Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall. The co-hosts, the Bereaved Families Association and the Citizens' Countermeasure Committee, have paid the full amount of 29,705,000 won, including the incense altar usage fee and late fees imposed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in May.
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