President Lee Jae-myung said on the 20th regarding the firefighter who was found dead after struggling with depression since responding to the Itaewon disaster site, "It breaks my heart to think of the young person who has fought through unimaginable pain."
On this day, President Lee noted on Facebook, "I have received psychological treatment twelve times due to trauma since the disaster, but ultimately could not overcome the heavy burden. I pray for the deceased and extend my condolences and comfort to the bereaved families."
He pointed out, "So far, our society has not sufficiently built the social safety net and psychological support system needed to fully confront and heal national and collective trauma," and added, "Rather, it has treated this as an issue that individuals must manage on their own, leaving many without help and isolated."
President Lee emphasized, "If social indifference continues, trauma will only deepen and become chronic, inevitably threatening the entire community," and urged that, "To solve this problem, our society must share in the pain, recognize the common responsibility heavily, and come together to initiate recovery."
He continued, "I promise that the government will responsibly step forward so that not only the victims and bereaved families experiencing collective trauma from disasters and major accidents, but also all rescuers and related parties can heal their emotional wounds, preventing the aftereffects from threatening the overall health of society."
He also stated, "We will thoroughly pursue the clarification of the facts," and pledged, "I promise to strengthen the institutional and legal safety nets to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again by reflecting on the causes and processes of the disaster."
A firefighter, identified as Mr. A, who was diagnosed with depression and received treatment after providing support at the Itaewon disaster site in 2022, was found dead near the bridge of the Gyeonggi Province First Ring Expressway in Geumidong, Siheung, after being reported missing on the 10th.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also expressed his condolences on Facebook, saying, "It's unfortunate. My heart hurts," and extended deep condolences to many people who have been suffering due to the Itaewon disaster.