Yoon pays 5th visit to mourning altar for Itaewon crush victims

President Yoon Suk-yeol paid his fifth visit to a mourning altar for victims of the Halloween crowd crush on Friday in what has become a daily routine for the president.

Yoon arrived in front of City Hall with his aides and laid a chrysanthemum on the altar before burning incense and bowing his head in silent prayer.

The president has visited the same altar four times this week and additionally visited a mourning altar near the site of the tragedy on Tuesday.

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, one of the government officials accused of bungling the response to the deadly incident, was not part of the president's detail on Friday.

Local press have speculated that Yoon was signaling his intention to retain Lee despite calls for his dismissal by including him in his entourage during previous visits to mourning altars this week.