Itaewon Tragedy: Nine Officials Disciplined, But Only One From Yongsan District
Itaewon Tragedy: Nine Officials Disciplined, But Only One From Yongsan District
As the third anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy approaches on October 29, 2025, a memorial service will be solemnly held in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, to honor the victims. A city-wide siren will sound at 10:29 AM for one minute to commemorate those who perished. This is to remember the tragedy that claimed 159 precious lives three years ago and to promote safety awareness to prevent such incidents from happening again. People from all walks of life are expressing their condolences, and citizens are expected to voluntarily join the memorial procession. In particular, the bereaved families are expected to point out the lack of thorough investigation and accountability during this third anniversary and urge the government to take a more proactive stance. They emphasize that a thorough investigation into the cause is essential to prevent similar accidents from recurring and that honoring the souls of the victims is the true form of remembrance. This third anniversary memorial service will be a time to reaffirm the commitment and challenges of creating a safe society, beyond simple commemoration.
Following the Itaewon tragedy, the government announced on October 23, 2025, that a joint audit had identified 62 government officials responsible for the response to the tragedy or found to have committed misconduct in the follow-up process. However, only a small fraction of these cases have resulted in actual disciplinary action, sparking controversy. In particular, a total of nine officials were disciplined for violating their duty of integrity, and eight of them were confirmed to be police officers. The levels of disciplinary action were determined to be four dismissals, one suspension, three pay cuts, and one reprimand. Former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Public Security and Foreign Affairs Division Chief Park Seong-min and former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae were dismissed, and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Kwang-ho received a three-month suspension. They have been criticized for not properly recognizing the situation on the day of the tragedy and for failing to take appropriate measures to prevent the tragedy from escalating. However, some argue that it is excessive to hold them solely responsible. There is a growing demand for a more fundamental investigation into the cause, along with systemic improvements to prevent recurrence.
What is even more controversial is the fact that only one of the nine disciplined officials belongs to the Yongsan District Office. The only disciplinary action taken was a reprimand for former Yongsan District Public Health Center Director Choi Jae-won. Despite the Yongsan District Office's responsibility for on-site safety management and accident recovery at the time of the tragedy, only minimal disciplinary action has been taken. This has drawn strong opposition from the bereaved families and citizens. Criticism of the Yongsan District Office's inadequate response for exacerbating the tragedy has been constant, and allegations of evading responsibility have been raised. Some argue that the responsibility of high-ranking officials in the Yongsan District Office should be clearly identified. Additionally, opinions have been raised that the regulations should be revised to strengthen the responsibility of local governments in the event of similar accidents in the future. The results of this disciplinary action have sparked public outrage, and the government must clarify the responsibility through a more transparent and fair investigation.
As criticism of the disciplinary action intensifies, the government is reportedly considering additional measures. However, specific details have not yet been released. Some suspect that the government is belatedly trying to evade responsibility in response to public opinion. The bereaved families argue that if the government truly acknowledges its responsibility, it should uncover the hidden truth through a thorough reinvestigation and severely punish those responsible. They also emphasize that the government should actively work to support victims and prevent recurrence. The Itaewon tragedy is an event that clearly revealed our society's safety insensitivity and inadequate disaster response system. The government must comprehensively re-examine the safety system based on this tragedy and create a society where people can live with peace of mind. Furthermore, efforts to honor the souls of the victims and heal the pain of the bereaved families should not be neglected.
Lee Jae-myung of South Korea is scheduled to commemorate the victims of the Itaewon tragedy on its third anniversary and deliver a message of condolences to the bereaved families. It is also expected that he will once again emphasize the government's commitment to creating a safe society. However, for the President's message to have sincerity, it must be followed by practical action, not just words. The government must humbly accept the public's criticism of this disciplinary action and take a more responsible approach to solving the problem. In addition to revealing the truth through a transparent and fair investigation and severely punishing those responsible, it must do its best to support victims and prevent recurrence. The Itaewon tragedy left a deep scar on our society, but it should be used as an opportunity to heal this scar and create a safer society. The people will be watching the government's efforts and will participate in creating a safe Republic of Korea through continuous interest and monitoring.
