Mourners have held a memorial ceremony for over 150 victims trapped in a crowd crush in a commercial district in the South Korean capital of Seoul two years ago.
The crush killed 159 people on the narrow streets of the Itaewon district on Oct. 29, 2022, ahead of Halloween.
The victims’ families and others gathered for the ceremony at the parliament on Tuesday.
The bereaved family members have insisted that the full truth behind the tragedy has yet to be uncovered. Last month, an investigative committee comprised of experts and others was set up to probe further into the cause of the accident, as well as to study preventive measures.
At the ceremony, Lee Jeong-min, who represents the bereaved families, said the government should unite to prevent tragedies from happening again, and give hope to citizens that society will change.
President Yoon Suk-yeol said in a Cabinet meeting that protecting people going about their daily lives and creating a safe society are the best ways to mourn the victims. He instructed relevant ministries to review safety measures.
The city of Seoul has designated eight commercial areas for monitoring ahead of Halloween. Police officers were seen checking for overcrowding in Itaewon and other districts on Monday.
A woman who was visiting Itaewon said the government should enforce laws to ensure social safety.