President Lee Jae-myung on the 29th, marking the third anniversary of the deadly crowd crush in the nightlife district of Itaewon, pledged, "I will make sure that no unfair loss of life ever occurs again due to the state's neglect and absence."
That morning at the "third-anniversary remembrance ceremony" held in Gwanghwamun Square, Lee bowed his head in a video tribute, saying, "As the president responsible for the people's lives and safety, I once again offer my deepest apology to the bereaved families of the disaster and to the people."
Lee also issued an official apology on Jul. 16 to the bereaved families of victims of the Sewol ferry, Itaewon, Muan passenger plane, and Osong underpass disasters.
In the video, Lee, dressed in a black suit, said, "Three years ago, in an alley in Itaewon in the heart of Seoul, 159 precious lives left our side so futilely," adding, "We can never forget the horror of that day when a place that should have been a joyful festival site turned in an instant into a scene of pandemonium."
He went on to criticize the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's response at the time, saying, "That day, the state was absent. It failed to protect the lives it was supposed to protect and failed to prevent the losses that could have been prevented."
Lee promised, "Now, the state will take responsibility," adding, "From the inadequate response and irresponsible evasion to the apologies and consolation that were not sufficient, we will look back on all of it and correct each and every one."
He also stressed, "The most fundamental reason the state exists is to protect the people's lives and safety. We will firmly reestablish this basic principle."
To the bereaved families, Lee vowed, "There will be no more cases where the state again turns its back on those who live bearing searing longing and immeasurable pain," adding, "We will uncover the truth to the end and make this a country where the people's lives are respected, a country where everyone is safe."
The deadly crowd crush in the nightlife district of Itaewon occurred on Oct. 29, 2022, in an alley near the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, leaving 159 dead and 196 injured, and this year marks its third anniversary.