[On-the-Ground Report] "Where My Daughter's Dreams Came to a Halt" "Falling Sales Bring Sighs"... Four Years After Itaewon Disaster, the Answer Is "Coexistence"

Families Call for the Truth; Shopkeepers Struggle to Make Ends Meet
Itaewon Store Closures Up 36.5%... Transactions Down 15%
"Remember the Disaster, While Making the Streets Safe and Welcoming for All"}

"My daughter devoted herself to cancer research and poured all her efforts into developing new drugs and treatments. I am heartbroken that she passed away before she could fulfill all her dreams."

At a prayer service marking the fourth anniversary of the 10/29 Itaewon disaster, held in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on October 24, Zahra Rezaei, who came from Iran, broke down in tears as she remembered her daughter, Afak Rast Maneshi, who died at the age of 29 in the disaster. That day, Rezaei walked with her family through the Itaewon alley where her daughter took her last breaths four years ago. At the upper end of the alley where the disaster occurred, they spread out a mat on the asphalt and bowed repeatedly.

At a prayer service commemorating the fourth anniversary of the 10.29 Itaewon tragedy, organized by the Association of Bereaved Families, Iranian family members of the victims shed tears as they revisited the site in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 24th. Photo by Oh Jieun.

Four years have passed since the disaster, but the families of the victims remain stuck in that day. Kang Minha, whom we met at the prayer service, expressed her frustration, saying, "It is upsetting that neither the truth nor accountability for those responsible has been properly established." Kang is the aunt of the late Lee Sangeun, who died at the age of 25 in the disaster. Kang is still searching for information herself to find out what went wrong that day. "Even when the Special Investigation Commission has relevant materials, it is difficult to access them. There are many unresolved questions, including the control center's CCTV footage and the transfer of command authority over firefighting," she said.

Behind the wave of mourning, shopkeepers who have served Itaewon's alleys for decades also voiced their concerns. A couple in their 60s who have run a clothing store for more than 30 years expressed their sorrow for the victims while worrying that the district's commercial activity has yet to regain its former vitality. "Business started getting tough during COVID, and it still hasn't recovered since the disaster," said Ms. Moon. "When a memorial event is held on a weekend like today and pedestrian access is restricted, it makes business even harder." The prayer service, which lasted about four hours on a Saturday afternoon, was held while half of the four-lane road in front of Exit 1 of Itaewon Station was closed. Mr. Kim, in his 60s, who has run a gift shop for more than 40 years, said, "Things are gradually improving, but sales are still only about 70% of what they were before the disaster."

Store Openings Down 37%, Closures Up 36%

An analysis by The Asia Business Daily of data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Commercial District Analysis Service found that 82 stores opened in the Itaewon Special Tourist Zone in the first half of this year, down 37.4% from 131 in the first half of 2022, before the disaster. In contrast, the number of store closures rose 36.5% over the same period, from 63 to 86. The total number of stores stood at 1,764 in the second quarter of this year, 3.2% higher than the 1,709 recorded in the second quarter of 2022. However, after reaching 1,813 in the second quarter of 2024, the total fell to 1,773 last year and 1,764 this year, marking two consecutive years of decline.

Estimated sales in the first half of this year totaled about 173.5 billion won, or 89.9% of the 193.1 billion won recorded during the same period in 2022, shortly before the disaster. The number of transactions over the same period fell 14.7%, from about 6.89 million to 5.88 million. In particular, transactions declined steadily for two consecutive years, from about 6.51 million in the first half of 2024 to 6.05 million last year and 5.88 million this year. The recovery has stalled not only in sales revenue but also in actual transaction volume.

Finding a Way for Mourning and Commercial Recovery to Coexist

A temporary memorial has been installed on "10.29 Road of Memory and Safety" in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 24th. Photo by Oh Jieun.

The slow recovery of the commercial district is believed to reflect a combination of factors, including the psychological burden left by the disaster and weak consumer sentiment. Kang Insoo, a professor of economics at Sookmyung Women's University, said, "People may be wary of places where crowds gather, and they may also feel uneasy about spending leisure time at a site where so many people died. The broader weakness in consumer sentiment is also likely to have had an impact."

However, some say the commercial downturn cannot be blamed solely on the disaster or memorial events. Koo Jungwoo, a professor of sociology at Sungkyunkwan University, said, "Shopkeepers should also embrace the families' memorial activities as members of the community. When they demonstrate the maturity of responsible citizens, the area's image can improve and sales can recover." Professor Kang added, "We should create a space where people can remember the disaster as part of history, while improving cleanliness and safety to make the area more welcoming to tourists and visitors."

160,000 Expected to Visit During Halloween Period; All-Out Effort to Manage Crowds

As Itaewon prepares to welcome Halloween crowds again ahead of the disaster's fourth anniversary, measures were being taken to ensure pedestrian safety. When we visited Itaewon's club district early on October 24, signs directing people to keep to the right had been installed, and Yongsan-gu safety personnel were managing pedestrian routes. As lines outside clubs grew longer, safety personnel directed people to one side to keep the routes clear.

The special Halloween safety period, which began on October 23, runs through November 1. Yongsan-gu has stepped up enforcement against items left on roads and illegal parking, and has begun maintenance work on facilities. The district expects about 165,000 people to visit the Itaewon area and will deploy about 2,550 personnel for on-site safety management, working with relevant agencies including the police and fire services. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is also operating joint situation rooms with relevant agencies in major crowd-congestion areas and monitoring crowd density in real time. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will deploy a total of 4,594 officers, including riot police, the Metropolitan Preventive Patrol Unit, and the Special Operations Unit, to five priority management areas.

Early on the 24th, barricades were set up in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to guide the movement of crowds, while a Yongsan-gu official directed pedestrian traffic at the scene. Lee Jiye, reporter.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.