A high school student who has lost two friends chooses a theater group
“I suffer to see the comments that insult the victim”
Due to the dissolution of the disaster and the early dissolution of the main script
Instead of solving it, it makes it harder for the victims
“Due to the absence of a pan-government disaster response”
The mourning families of the victims of the Itaewon tragedy are crying as they touch the portraits of the victims at the city memorial service at Noksapyeong Station Square, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of 14th. That day, 158 portraits were placed on the altar of the city incense burner, set up by the families of the victims of the October 29 Itaewon disaster and officials of the Citizen Countermeasures Committee. The 76 frames with black tapes contain the photos and names of the victims. A photo of chrysanthemum flowers was placed in the frame as the bereaved family did not want to reveal their faces or names. Reporter Han Soo-bin
A high school student who survived the “Itaewon Halloween Disaster” made an extreme choice. Although this student has received regular psychological treatment since the disaster, it appears that he has not been able to overcome the trauma. It is emphasized that the problems need to be improved by verifying if the “victim-centered” incident recovery works properly.
A high school student, who suffered the Itaewon disaster, was found dead on the 13th in a lodging in Mapo-gu, Seoul. No suicide notes were found at the scene. A police official said: “It is estimated that he made an extreme choice. In accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family, it was decided not to perform an autopsy.
Group A was at the scene on the day of the accident and was taken to hospital for treatment. Two friends who had gone to Itaewon together died in an accident. Group A was reportedly discharged two days after being admitted to hospital, saying he had to go to the funeral of his deceased friends. Group A, who returned to school a week after the disaster, suffered from mental shock and said they received regular psychological treatment as a result.
Group A was known to be particularly hurt by malicious comments. In an interview with MBC that day, the Group A mother said, “(My son) once mentioned this in mid-November while crying. Seeing the comments insulting friends who died by saying, “Didn’t he die after going to see a celebrity?”, He got very angry.
As of the 14th, five students are recovering from injuries sustained at the Itaewon disaster site. An official from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said, “We will check the status of emergency psychological support at the Wee Center in charge of the school to which the survivors belong, and if further support is needed, we plan to provide support.” they promote emotional psychological support for each target group, such as managers, in collaboration with related organizations.
As a result of this incident, criticisms are growing that victim-centered disaster recovery is insufficient.
On the 2nd, one month after the incident, the government dissolved the Central Headquarters for Disaster Countermeasures and Security (Critical Response Headquarters), a disaster response organization. The regulations on the composition and operation of the headquarters in the event of major disasters state that the organization can be managed during the “period of response and recovery due to the occurrence or fear of a large-scale disaster”. However, the critical script was dismantled early on at a time when psychological healing and assistance to bereaved families and disaster survivors is more important than ever.
Compared with past cases, the operational period of the heavy script is relatively short. At the time of the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014, the critical script was extended to the pan-government (pan-script) incident countermeasures headquarters. The operational period was also 7 months from 16 April to 18 November. According to data received by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security from Democratic Party of Korea MP Jeon Yong-gi, even in the case of the sinking of the Hungarian cruise ship in 2019, the critical script has been operated for two months since May 30 to 30 July.
Kim Hyeon-soo, a professor of psychiatry at Myongji Hospital and former head of the Seoul Suicide Prevention Center, said, “The government shut down the critical script early, and without this organization it is hard to find government-level support or the measures. ” He stressed that “communication for psychological support to bereaved families and survivors will work no better now than it did when there was a major script.”
Passport, relieving the psychological trauma of survivors and bereaved families and shifting responsibility
Some point out that the Passport’s attitude towards the disaster as a “political issue” and the profanity of some of the Passport figures resulting from it hinder proper recovery and healing and increase the psychological trauma of bereaved families and survivors. On the 10th, People’s Power representative Kwon Seong-dong made a post on his SNS saying, “Itaewon shouldn’t go the same way as Sewol Ferry.” On the 11th, Congressman Jang Je-won also wrote on social media, “First (the government’s investigation into the Itaewon disaster) was a matter that should not have been agreed.” Kim Mi-na, a member of the Changwon City People’s Power Council, told the mourning families, “Did you die while saving the country?”, and was referred to the People’s Power Ethics Committee.
Lee Jae-geun, general secretary of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, which is active in the ‘Citizens’ Participation Committee for the Itaewon Disaster Fact-Finding’, said, “The lawmakers’ harsh words and hurtful comments in the dealing with bereaved families not only dwarfs survivors, but also hinders their return to daily life.” He stressed that the National Assembly should express more active support and support for the survivors, but after the screenwriter’s script was unraveled, it seems that the survivors are actually passing responsibilities.
Professor Kim Hyeon-soo advised: ‘We need a space where mourners or survivors can gather to mourn and talk together.
