Prime Minister Han Sung-sook attended the citizens’ memorial for the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush at Seoul Plaza on the 24th, apologizing on behalf of the government and pledging to establish the truth, build a memorial facility and prevent a recurrence. Thirty-five relatives of foreign victims also came to Korea at the government’s invitation this year.
According to the Kyunghyang Shinmun, Prime Minister Han Sung-sook attended the fourth-anniversary citizens’ memorial for the Itaewon disaster at Seoul Plaza, in front of Seoul City Hall, on October 24, 2026. The crush occurred on October 29, 2022, and 159 people died. Earlier that morning, a separate flower-laying and prayer gathering was held near Itaewon Station.
광고 문의 · 300×250At the memorial, Han bowed her head and said she apologized once again, on behalf of the government. She stressed that the state exists to protect citizens’ lives and daily lives. The Kyunghyang Shinmun noted that the remarks followed President Lee Jae-myung’s apology to the families in October last year.
Audit findings acknowledged: accountability ‘was not sufficient’
Han noted that last year’s joint government audit found systemic failures across the disaster response. She acknowledged that disciplinary action against those responsible had been insufficient and that the government had not fully answered the bereaved families’ demands for truth and accountability. Such an open admission by a sitting prime minister at a memorial site is the core of the remarks.
The government’s pledges fall into four parts: supporting and cooperating with the police investigation and the special investigative committee so that the truth is clearly established, and working with local governments and civil society to build a memorial facility for healing and recovery. It also promised to support a foundation honoring the victims, and to preserve the records and lessons of the disaster while improving disaster prevention and response systems.
Thirty-five relatives of foreign victims attend
Thirty-five relatives of 18 foreign victims attended this year’s fourth-anniversary event. This is the second year the government has officially invited relatives of foreign victims and supported their visit to Korea. Because the victims included foreigners from several countries, the mourning clearly extends beyond Korean society.
However, the Kyunghyang Shinmun’s report did not include direct remarks by the bereaved families at the site, and no concrete timetable for the government’s pledges was given. When the memorial facility will be built and how the foundation will be set up remain tasks for the government, families and local authorities to work out.
