Relocation to City-Owned Space in Nearby Burim Building on the 16th
On the 15th, one day before the relocation of the joint memorial altar for the October 29 Itaewon tragedy at Seoul Plaza, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the altar to console the bereaved families.
On that day, ahead of the relocation in the afternoon, Mayor Oh visited the memorial altar at Seoul Plaza where a preliminary event was held, offering incense and a moment of silence for the victims. He then bowed to the bereaved families and greeted them with a handshake.
Mayor Oh stated, "The devastating grief of losing family members still cannot be comforted by any words," and added, "I hope that from now on, the victims will be commemorated and communication with the bereaved families will continue in a stable space."
He also said, "I believe that creating a safe Seoul is the true form of remembrance and the deepest consolation, and I will do my best to ensure that such a heartbreaking accident does not happen again." The city, the Itaewon Tragedy Bereaved Families Association, and the Citizens' Countermeasure Committee agreed on the 5th to relocate the joint memorial altar to the first floor indoor space of Burim Building in Euljiro 1-ga, Jung-gu, near City Hall.
The bereaved families plan to operate the new location as a 'Memory and Communication Space' from the 16th until November 2nd. Previously, the bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy urgently set up a memorial altar in front of Seoul Plaza on February 4th last year, one day before the 100th day since the tragedy. Seoul City regarded this as an illegal facility and demanded voluntary removal. When the families did not comply, the city halted dialogue, announced administrative enforcement, and imposed a fine of 29 million won.
Although the bereaved families opposed the city's decision, the Central Administrative Appeals Committee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission dismissed the Citizens' Countermeasure Committee's request to cancel the fine imposed by Seoul City, claiming it was unjust. Ultimately, the Citizens' Countermeasure Committee paid the fine on October 22nd last year, ahead of the first anniversary of the tragedy.
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