District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae and senior civil servants lay flowers and observe a moment of silence — no formal ceremony or protocol; district also pledges safety vigilance ahead of Halloween
Yongsan-gu in Seoul visited the site of the Itaewon crowd crush Thursday morning to mark the fourth anniversary of the disaster, holding a quiet tribute for the victims.
The commemoration — the first anniversary observed since the launch of the ninth elected district administration — brought together Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae, the deputy district mayor, and senior civil servants including bureau directors. Without any formal ceremony or official protocol, attendees laid flowers and observed a moment of silence in memory of those who died.
Participants united in their resolve to remember the victims on the fourth anniversary and to extend condolences to bereaved families still living with profound grief.
Through the tribute, the district reaffirmed its commitment never to forget the pain of the disaster regardless of how much time passes, to keep the memory of each victim alive, and to uphold its responsibility to protect the lives and safety of residents so that such a tragedy is never repeated.
In addition, with large crowds expected in the Itaewon area during the Halloween period, the district said it would pay particular attention to preventing safety accidents caused by crowd congestion and to managing safety conditions on the ground.
"I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in the Oct. 29 Itaewon crowd crush and offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families," District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae said. "Though four years have passed, we will not forget the pain of that day and will remember each and every one of the victims."
Kim added, "We will carry the spirit of remembering the victims and understanding the suffering of those affected into our responsibility to protect the lives and safety of our residents. We will do our utmost to manage safety on the ground so that citizens can feel secure during the upcoming Halloween period."
Yongsan-gu said it will continue to honor the memory of the victims of the Oct. 29 Itaewon crowd crush and work to build a community that places the lives and safety of its residents first.
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