“Even if the seasons change four times, the children don’t get used to the empty seats.”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeong Ji-su = "In addition to remembering and commemorating the victims, we have another important responsibility: responsibility for truth, justice, and the future. We do not want the Itaewon disaster to remain just a sad day on the calendar."
Zahra Rezaei, the mother of Afag Lastmanesh, an Iranian who was killed in the Itaewon disaster, said this while attending the 'Toward the Truth, Towards the Light of the Stars' citizens' memorial event commemorating the 4th anniversary of the October 29 Itaewon disaster held at Seoul Plaza on the afternoon of the 24th.
He said, "No words can fully express this deep sadness, and no memorial event can replace the empty space left by the departed family."
Even though the sun had set and the weather was quite chilly, organizers estimated about 1,500 people, including citizens and bereaved families, attended the event with purple butterfly-shaped brooches on their chests.
At this 4th anniversary memorial event, 35 bereaved families of 18 foreign victims from 10 countries, who visited Korea for the second time following an official government invitation from last year, also attended.
They will stay in Korea until the 30th, starting with a citizens' memorial rally on this day, visiting the schools and favorite places of the victims, and attending a meeting of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster Special Investigation Committee (Special Investigation Committee).
This memorial gathering, jointly held by the 10/29 Itaewon Disaster Victims' Family Council, Citizens' Countermeasures Council, Ministry of Public Administration and Security, and Seoul Metropolitan Government, was attended by bereaved family groups, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
The memorial service began with the names of the 160 victims displayed on the electronic display board being called one by one. Baek, a merchant who committed suicide last April after experiencing the trauma of rescue from a disaster, was recognized as an official victim, increasing the number of people by one.
Lee Jeong-min, chairman of the steering committee of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster Victims' Family Council, commemorated those who left, saying, "While four seasons changed four times, our children did not get used to the empty seats even for a single day."
Chairman Lee pledged, “I will walk to the end to become a parent who is not ashamed of my children and to ensure that the next generation of our society can live in a safer world.”
At the memorial service, a memorial performance by singers Kim Sa-wol and Lee Han-cheol and a choir performance by the Peace Tree Choir were held to express condolences. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook and Vice President of the Disaster Victims' Solidarity Lee Sang-hak also stood on the podium and read memorial speeches.
The October 29 Itaewon Disaster Citizens' Countermeasures Committee emphasized in a joint declaration that day, "To prevent further sacrifices, the government must closely examine the damage to surviving victims and rescuers, and quickly prepare practical measures for continuous treatment, recovery, and livelihood support."
In addition, he called for a thorough investigation of the truth, saying, “We still do not know the answer to why no organization responded properly despite dozens of reports and desperate rescue requests, and why rescue was delayed and the system did not work at a critical moment when lives needed to be saved.”
Prior to the memorial rally, the bereaved families and citizens attended a memorial prayer service for four religions (Buddhism, Protestantism, Won Buddhism, and Catholicism) held on the 'Road of Remembrance and Safety' in front of Exit 1 of Itaewon Station, the site of the disaster, and laid flowers and paid tribute before marching to Seoul Plaza.
At the prayer meeting, the bereaved families of Muslim believers also read the Islamic scripture ‘Quran’.
At Seoul Plaza, an information space was created on topics such as commemoration and memory of the Itaewon disaster, disaster disaster, and life safety.
The government's official memorial service, the '4th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony', will be held at Gwanghwamun Square at 10:29 a.m. on the 29th.
The October 29 Itaewon Disaster Victims' Family Council and the Citizens' Countermeasures Committee said, "Although the Special Investigation Committee's investigation period has been extended, citizens' interest and solidarity are more important than anything else to ensure that the truth is revealed without sanctuaries during the remaining one year period."
