[Report] "Streets Regaining Life, Sadness Remains"... 2nd Anniversary of Itaewon Tragedy

Memorial Service Held for Victims on the 29th
Itaewon Business District Slowly Reviving
Families and Survivors Still Grieving

"We are calling your names only now. Please listen carefully..."

On the morning of the 29th, as a man dressed in black hat and clothes began calling out the names of the victims one by one, sobbing broke out here and there. A man quietly watching sat down and bowed his head over his hands for a long time.

On this day marking the 2nd anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy, a memorial ceremony was held in front of Exit 1 of Itaewon Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to honor the souls of the 159 people who lost their lives in the accident. Citizens who came out for an outing with family, friends, and lovers also stopped to join in the mourning. Ha Yeon-ja (59) from Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, said, "Since I was near Itaewon, I stopped by the accident site. I think the victims won't feel cold because more citizens than I expected are here together." She added, "I have two daughters about the same age as the victims, and coming to the accident site makes me think of the young people who must have suffered, which makes my heart ache again."

On the morning of the 29th, a memorial service for the victims was held in front of Exit 1 of Itaewon Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, marking the 2nd anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy.
[Photo by Seohee Lee]

'Path of Memory and Safety' Transformed... The Street Slowly Regains Vitality

The accident site that took many lives two years ago is being transformed into a space to remember and mourn the victims. In the alley marked 'Path of Memory and Safety,' instead of old and dirty walls, clean blue partitions have been installed, and right in front, art pieces bearing the victims' names are displayed.

The memorial space was crowded with citizens paying their respects until the afternoon. Citizens generally expressed a heavy heart but agreed that efforts must be made to prevent recurrence of such accidents and to support the victims. Office worker Kim Seong-mo (43) said, "The Itaewon tragedy is heartbreaking, but we cannot turn back time. I think now is the time to prepare measures to prevent similar accidents and move forward." He added, "It's regrettable that even after two years, those responsible have not been properly punished and no adequate measures have been implemented, but if everyone continues to remember the tragedy without forgetting it, I believe we can prevent further victims."

The Itaewon commercial district, which had been gloomy for a while, is gradually regaining vitality. The alley, which was empty after the accident, is slowly filling with shops preparing to open and visitors. Han, who has run an Italian restaurant in Itaewon for eight years, explained, "Although the number of customers is not as many as before the accident, weekends at lunch and dinner times are almost fully booked." He added, "With more young domestic and foreign tourists, the once gloomy street seems to be coming back to life."

On the morning of the 29th, a memorial space for the victims was set up in front of Exit 1 of Itaewon Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to mark the 2nd anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy.
[Photo by Lee Seohee]

Bereaved Families’ Grief Remains... "Nothing Has Changed"

Unlike the changing face of Itaewon, the bereaved families continue to live in sorrow. Two years ago, Ham Il-song (44) lost his only family member, his younger sister Ham Young-rae (38). His sister, who raised her child alone for 10 years and never even went to a casual drinking gathering, was caught in the accident during her first visit to Itaewon Station on Halloween Day, October 29, 2022.

Ham said, "I still don’t understand why my sister was involved in the accident in the alley. I don’t know why so many victims died or why no one stopped it." He lamented, "No one has been punished so far, and the truth investigation we want has not been properly conducted. Two years have passed, but our grief has only grown and has not changed."

On the 29th, the second anniversary of the Itaewon Halloween tragedy, memorial flower bouquets were placed in the alleyway at the accident site in Itaewon, Seoul.

The bereaved families appealed urgently for proper investigation, support for victims, and punishment of those responsible. Lee Jeong-min, an executive committee member of the Itaewon Tragedy Bereaved Families Association, who attended the '2nd Anniversary Truth and Memory Memorial Ceremony' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building that morning, said, "Survivors and witnesses who suffered from the Itaewon tragedy continue to face harsh social scrutiny," adding, "Secondary harm inflicted on the bereaved families is as devastating as losing a child. We urge the National Assembly to listen to the families’ pain and work hard to prevent recurrence."

Survivor Lee Joo-hyun, who barely survived the accident, said, "During the recent government investigation, records of safety control since 2017 were reviewed, but the experiences of those on site inevitably differ." She asked, "Please understand the difficulties victims face in proving their connection to the tragedy themselves and the government's limited support." She added, "Through active investigations visiting each victim, we must find not only survivors who have been neglected for a year and a half but also all victims left untreated and abandoned."