Seoul City postpones taking down 'illegal' memorial for Itaewon tragedy

One of the bereaved family members of the Itaewon tragedy tries to climb over a barricade in front of the main entrance to Seoul City Hall, Monday, to meet Mayor Oh Se-hoon. The altercation occurred after one of the family members tried to bring an electric heater to the memorial to "warm" the pictures of the loved ones but was fended off by the city government's security officials. Yonhap

By Ko Dong-hwan

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday postponed the removal of a memorial that the authority claims was "illegally" set up by bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy. Family members and supporters from civic groups set up the memorial at Seoul City Square in front of the city hall in central Seoul on Saturday without giving the city government due notification. The city authority had warned the bereaved group to take down the memorial by Monday 1 p.m. or it would be brought down by force.

As the deadline approached, hundreds of police officers were stationed in different groups around a crowd of families and their supporters as they gathered in front of the memorial. Emergency rescuers were ready close by, while ambulances and police buses were lined up near the scene. There were concerns of a fierce clash between the bereaved group and those under orders from the city government.

But such clashes did not transpire. Instead, there were a series of speeches by those from the bereaved families, civic groups and political parties ― with the exception the ruling People Power Party. Ten speakers condemned the city government for not allowing the memorial at the city square and for failing to sympathize with the bereaved families after the city mayor Oh Se-hoon promised to do so.

Lee Jong-chul from the bereaved families of the Itaewon crowd crush tragedy speaks, Monday, in front of a memorial the families set up in front of Seoul City Hall condemning the city government for warning the families to dismantle the site. Other bereaved family members, supporters from civic groups and opposition party lawmakers stand behind Lee. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Lee Jong-chul, the representative of the bereaved families who lost his child in the tragedy on Oct. 29 last year, said through a microphone in front of the crowd of hundreds that he received a call from one of the city government's vice mayors. Lee said the vice mayor suggested he use a space below Noksapyeong Station, which connects to the Itaewon night-out area on foot, for the memorial.

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However Lee said he declined the suggestion because the space four basement levels down are "deep down underground" and that it meant "we might as well coop up there and stay quiet."

"The vice mayor then said he had nothing else to offer and there was nothing the city government could do for us," Lee said. "We have the rights to erect this memorial for our loved ones."

Lee Chang-min, a lawyer who advocates for the bereaved group, told the crowd it was unprecedented that the city government issued a written warning to demolish a memorial only a few days after it was erected.

"The city government said this 'illegal memorial' would bring disorders to the city square," he said. "But, as you can see, this memorial takes up only a small space. People will line up here to pay respect and it still won't cause any inconvenience to people passing by this broad street."

Lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, minor Justice Party and Basic Income Party also took a microphone, urging Mayor Oh to allow the memorial at the city square. They also demanded Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min be impeached for failing to prevent the disaster that claimed 159 lives including 26 foreigners.

This open space inside Noksapyeong Station in Seoul's Yongsan District is four basement floors underground and has been proposed by the city government as a place to set up a permanent memorial for the Itaewon tragedy. The authority said it is safe from harsh climate conditions and is also close to the tragedy site. The bereaved families, however, objected to the proposal. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Special investigations by politicians and police have wound up charging Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae and Yongsan District Office Head Park Hee-young for the tragedy. But observers, including the bereaved group and the opposition party lawmakers, criticized the investigation result as it didn't hold the minister ― the one with the country's most powerful authority over disaster prevention and police ― responsible.

The city government's spokesman Lee Dong-ryul said Monday morning the authority will re-issue the warning to take down the memoral from the city square in a future date undetermined yet. He said that the city government usually executes the warning after issuing it several times beforehand.

The city government's Welfare Policy Office, which controls where to approve the memorial, told The Korea Times that the government will keep negotiating with the bereaved group and persuade them to use the space at Noksapyeong Station.

"Once we reach an agreement, we will notify the station office and prepare the space," said the office head.