[From the Scene] Calls for investigation, apology mount a year on from Itaewon tragedy

On the first anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush that claimed 159 lives, bereaved families, civic groups and citizens gathered for a memorial service and march, demanding a thorough investigation and a formal apology from the government.

The Itaewon Disaster Citizens’ Task Force and the Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families group hosted the event Sunday, with the march starting from the site of the disaster near Itaewon Station and proceeding to Seoul Plaza.

Wearing purple jackets symbolizing condolences for the victims of the crowd crush, bereaved families joined numerous civic group members and the families of those who died in the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster.

Before the main memorial event, prayer meetings representing four religions --Christianity, Buddhism, Won Buddhism, and Catholicism -- were held at Itaewon Station starting at 2 p.m. Leaders from each religion conducted prayers and rituals to console the 159 victims.

According to the organizer’s estimate, about 500 people, including 100 bereaved families, attended the prayer meeting. Several citizens and passersby also paused to pay their respects to the deceased.

“I cannot believe that it has already been a year. I can’t even imagine how hard it must have been for the bereaved families. It gives me some small relief that so many people have gathered here to console them,” said Kim Ha-yeon, one of the citizens who had gathered to participate in the rally.

Religious leaders raised their voices, demanding the enactment of a special law for the Itaewon disaster and calling for an apology from President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The memorial parade began after the prayer meeting. The bereaved families and citizens departed from Itaewon, proceeding past the presidential office in Yongsan-gu and Seoul Station, before heading to Seoul Plaza, the venue of the main memorial event. Participants at the front of the march carried a banner that read, "Acknowledge the government’s responsibility.”

“As a father with two children, I wanted to show my support for the bereaved families,” said Shin Yoo-jong, who was following the parade with his sons.

At around 5 p.m., the parade arrived at Seoul Plaza, and several political figures from both the ruling and opposition parties attended the main ceremony.

The leaders of four opposition parties -- the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung, Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi, Basic Income Party leader Yong Hye-in and the Progressive Party leader Yoon Hee-suk -- attended the main memorial service. From the ruling People Power Party, several figures including Ihn Yo-han, the chair of the party’s innovation committee and chief policymaker Yu Eui-dong participated in the memorial event.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Dong-yeon and Seoul’s education chief Cho Hee-yeon also participated in the memorial.

Iranian Ambassador Saeed Badamchi Shabestari and Russian Embassy Consul Olga Afanasieva attended the event as well. Five Iranians and four Russians were killed in last year’s disaster.

The president did not attend the memorial service but attended another memorial service separately at Yeongam Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on the same day. He was joined at the service by other high-ranking government officials, but none of the bereaved families attended.

At the memorial, Yoon expressed his sympathies to the victims of the disaster and their families, describing the day of the tragedy as “one of the most sorrowful moments" of his life.

Earlier, the bereaved families and civic groups invited the president to attend the memorial service that they hosted, but the presidential office officially declined the request, saying it worries that the event might turn into a political rally.

A year on from the Halloween tragedy

A day earlier, Itaewon cautiously welcomed back its annual Halloween festivities with a more muted atmosphere and heightened safety measures.

"Who would want to visit after what happened last year?” one passerby said.

Previously, Itaewon's alleys were festively adorned with Halloween decorations throughout the holiday weekend, with excited partygoers filling the streets before sundown. This year's celebrations, however, were far more subdued.

Around 9 p.m., more visitors began to gather in World Food Street, which is adjacent to , where the disaster happened, and one of the main nightlife areas of Itaewon.

Visitor numbers were noticeably lower than in previous years. Real-time data provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government indicated that around 12,000 to 14,000 people visited Itaewon between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. On the same day last year, during the crowd crush, more than 30,000 people were estimated to have been in the area by 6 p.m., a number that rose to 57,000 by 10 p.m.

Despite the reduced number of visitors compared to previous years, shouts of excitement and laughter filled the air as people enjoyed strolls through the narrow streets with friends and loved ones. Bars and clubs along the way became hubs for dancing, singing and revelry. Bar staff actively engaged with passersby and promoted their establishments. A festive atmosphere prevailed, with some partygoers embracing the spirit of the occasion in Halloween costumes.

Near Exit No. 1 of Itaewon Station, visitors to the area paused to read and write condolence messages on a memorial wall remembering the crowd crush victims. Some also brought flowers to place in front of the wall.

Volunteers from the Itaewon Disaster Citizens’ Task Force and the Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families group also stood in front of the memorial wall, distributing purple ribbons and rubber wristbands to passersby. Purple is commonly used by the organizations associated with the crowd crush disaster to express sympathy and condolences for the victims.

“I came out today in the hope that my small actions could contribute to something bigger, to help create a just society for all,” volunteer Seo Dong-joo told The Korea Herald. “I hope those who receive a ribbon and bracelet from us today will remember the incident and the victims.”

The presence of a memorial wall and the smaller number of revelers marked just some of the many differences of this year's Halloween event.

This year, local authorities such as the Yongsan-gu Office, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters implemented crowd control measures to ensure safety during Seoul’s Halloween festivities.

A joint meeting on Oct. 13 between Yongsan-gu Office, Yongsan Police Station, Yongsan Fire Station and Seoul Metro produced a list of safety measures, resulting in the deployment of 845 Yongsan-gu Office officials, 1,564 police officers, 320 firefighters and 190 Seoul Metro officials to the Itaewon area on Saturday. Additional police officers were placed on standby if necessary. In contrast, only 83 police officers were deployed for crowd management in Itaewon last year. Authorities also cordoned off a specific road for police cars, fire trucks and ambulances deployed to the area.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Sunday, no crowd-crush incidents were recorded as of midnight Saturday.

Yongsan-gu Office also installed surveillance cameras with an intelligent crowd detection system at six locations prone to large gatherings. The live footage was simultaneously displayed in the disaster situation rooms of each district office and in the office of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Additionally, a 300-meter-long barricade divided the narrow Itaewon alleys, guiding pedestrians in and out of Itaewon Food Street to prevent any accidents. One of the factors contributing to last year’s crowd crush was the lack of such barriers, resulting in many people moving in different directions up and down the narrow alleyway.

"I visited Itaewon to pay my respects to the victims that passed during the crowd crush last year, and to see what nightlife is like here," said Oceane Goprou, a tourist from France. "I feel safe with the safety installations and the officers stationed around the streets."

"I was worried that there would be too many people and more problems could arise like last year," said Yohan Goprou, also a tourist from France. “I felt a little uneasy but the heightened security measures make me feel a lot safer."

Previous crowd control measures were not as thorough as local authorities have planned for this Halloween weekend. Volunteer Seo, who expressed his hopes that safety measures will continue to be enforced.

"The crowd crush definitely could have been prevented last year if authorities were as attentive to safety measures as they are today," Seo said. "I hope that the safety measures implemented this year aren't just for show.”