2023-10-28 12:04:00
[앵커]
Tomorrow (29th) marks the 1st anniversary of the Itaewon disaster.
One of the words of remembrance that stood out the most at the site I visited in advance was ‘I’m sorry.’
Bereaved family members, friends, and even complete strangers told us, ‘I’m sorry for not being able to protect you.’
Who are the people who should be most sorry?
Itaewon is once again on the weekend night before Halloween.
Connect on site.
Reporter Kim Woo-jun, I guess this year there will be more of a memorial atmosphere than a festival, right?
[기자]
Yes, if it were Halloween, this alley would be crowded with people dressed in various costumes.
I’ve been out for 3 hours, but it doesn’t seem like much and the streets aren’t crowded.
Let’s look below.
This is the alley where about 150 people died.
Last year, the crowd density here was up to 12 people crammed into a 1 meter square.
But today (28th), as you can see, it is quiet.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s tally, as of 9 p.m. a little while ago, about 12,000 people were gathered near Itaewon.
However, compared to the 58,000 people who gathered as of 10 p.m. last year, it is only one-fifth of the number.
In particular, most people who come here are mourners.
Drinks, snacks, and flowers were placed in front of the memorial wall erected at the entrance to the alley where the disaster occurred.
Civic group officials can also be seen handing out purple ribbons to commemorate the Itaewon disaster.
[앵커]
Besides Itaewon, there are places where large crowds of people always gather for Halloween.
What is the situation like here, in front of Hongdae or Gangnam?
[기자]
As of 6 PM, Hongdae Street’s population congestion level has already changed to ‘crowded’.
As of 9 p.m., it was also ‘crowded’, and it was calculated that there were up to 90,000 people near Hongik University Station.
There are voices complaining of difficulty in passing from all over, so let’s listen to them.
[송가희/인천 남동구 : “많이 부딪쳐서 발목이 좀 많이 꺾였어요.”]
[박지오/인천 남동구 : “물건을 한 번 떨어뜨렸는데 사람들 때문에 줍기가 어려웠어요. 손이 깔릴 뻔했어요.”]
Gangnam is less average.
The government is preparing various measures to prepare for crowds at Hongik University entrance and other places.
A safety fence was erected to encourage one-way traffic, and anti-slip paint was painted in the alley.
The police have deployed more than 1,200 personnel to major locations including these locations since yesterday (27th).
Minister of Public Administration and Security Lee Sang-min also visited major downtown areas such as Itaewon Station and Hongdae Street in Mapo-gu this afternoon to inspect the crowd management system to ensure it was working properly.
This is Kim Woo-jun of KBS News from Itaewon, Seoul.
Cinematographer: Choi Jin-young and Kang Hyeon-kyung / Video editor: Shin Nam-gyu
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