Prime Minister Han Seung-soo expressed deep apologies to the families of victims and those affected by the Itaewon tragedy as the fourth anniversary approaches, promising a thorough investigation and accountability at the national level.
According to Newsis and Yonhap, Han made these remarks on the afternoon of October 24 during a memorial event held at Seoul City Hall Square for the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy. "On behalf of the government, I would like to extend my heartfelt apologies once again to the families of the victims and those affected," she stated.
Han emphasized that the nation's commemoration must involve uncovering the truth and reforming systems to prevent similar tragedies in the future, vowing, "We will ensure that the truth is clearly revealed." She added, "We will provide all necessary support and cooperation to ensure thorough investigations by the special investigation committee and law enforcement agencies."
She acknowledged that the government's response and accountability have not met the expectations of the victims' families. Han noted that a joint government audit last year revealed systemic failures in the response framework and inadequate disciplinary actions against those responsible, admitting that the government has not sufficiently addressed the urgent calls for accountability from the families.
"The tragedy is not over yet," she said. "There is still work to be done to fully uncover the truth and fulfill our remaining responsibilities."
Han also proposed support measures for the healing and recovery of the victims' families. She stated that the government would collaborate with local authorities and civil society to establish memorial facilities and support the creation of a foundation to honor the victims. Additionally, she pledged to preserve and convey the lessons learned from the tragedy while thoroughly improving disaster prevention and response systems.
"While I cannot fully grasp the weight of the sorrow of losing a loved one, I will not leave your grief solely to you," Han promised, vowing to listen to their voices and fulfill the government's responsibilities to the end.
Meanwhile, the government established a joint investigation team in July of last year to investigate the causes of the tragedy and any secondary harm to victims and their families. Currently, a separate investigation team has been formed within the National Police Agency to continue related investigations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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