South Korea: 1st joint govt-bereaved families commemoration set for Itaewon crowd crush anniversary

Seoul, Oct 25 (IANS) The first joint commemoration by the government and the bereaved families will kick off Saturday, as South Korea prepares to mark the third anniversary of the deadly crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district.

A civil mourning event commemorating the victims of the crowd crush will take place at Seoul Plaza later in the day, jointly hosted for the first time by the association of victims' families, a civic group on the disaster and the Seoul metropolitan government, according to the interior ministry.

The tragic crowd crush happened during Halloween festivities in a narrow alley of the nightlife neighbourhood of Itaewon in Seoul's central ward of Yongsan on October 29, 2022, killing 159 people, including foreigners.

The event's starting time, at 6:34 p.m., marks the moment the first emergency call was made from the scene of the accident, but a delayed response led to the high death toll, reports Yonhap news agency.

Some 4,000 people, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, government officials, politicians, religious leaders, civic activists and citizens, are expected to attend the event to mourn the deaths and console their families.

This year's event will also be attended by around 40 bereaved family members from 12 countries who lost their loved ones in the crowd crush, invited by the government.

Ahead of the evening event, four religious groups were set to hold a joint prayer session at the site of the disaster in Itaewon, followed by a mass march to Seoul Plaza.

The main event will begin with the joint calling of the victims' names, followed by a moment of silence, a commemorative speech by the prime minister and a concert in their memory.

On the third anniversary next Wednesday, the government will hold a separate mourning event at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, to be attended by government representatives and bereaved family members, and featuring a one-minute siren across the city.

--IANS

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