Itaewon disaster bereaved families march in Seoul for accountability

Bereaved families of the Itaewon crowd crush disaster held a march through central Seoul to demand a full investigation into the cause of the tragedy and the punishment of those responsible. Approximately 100 participants, including members of the Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association and the Citizen Countermeasures Committee, marched from Jongno-gu through Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza, and Euljiro toward Myeong-dong.

During the march, participants distributed purple ribbons to honor the victims and called for the realization of a safer society. Lee Jeong-min, president of the bereaved families association, emphasized that the march serves as an appeal to prevent such pain from recurring in South Korea.

Upcoming memorial events include a citizen memorial service hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on October 24 at Seoul Plaza, and a formal 4th-anniversary memorial ceremony on October 29 at Gwanghwamun Square, which is expected to draw 1,000 attendees including government and political leaders. While the joint prosecution-police investigation team recently concluded its activities due to changes in criminal procedure laws, the police have formed a special investigation team to continue the remaining inquiries.