Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on the 20th, ahead of the third anniversary of the Itaewon disaster (Oct. 29), that the government and the committee will work sincerely together to prepare the Itaewon disaster memorial events with respect and consideration for the victims at the center.
In opening remarks at the Second Committee Meeting to Commemorate the Victims of the Itaewon Disaster held at the Government Complex Seoul that afternoon, Kim said the gathering is meaningful as a place to honor the victims together and to pledge that the same tragedy will never be repeated.
Government committee member Minister Yoon Ho-jung of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Yoon Jong-jang, director general for welfare at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Kim Deok-jin, standing activist at the Catholic Human Rights Committee, among other private-sector committee members, attended the meeting. All attendees, including Prime Minister Kim, wore purple memorial ribbon badges.
Kim said that he hopes the events will become a time of shared remembrance and commitment put into practice by our society, beyond a time of mourning, and that the spirit of condolence will lead to healing and that remembrance will lead to social change and progress toward safety and trust, with everyone doing their utmost in their respective places.
Kim said this year's memorial events are being prepared jointly by the government and the bereaved families, and introduced that the bereaved families of foreign victims from 12 countries will also attend.