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Messages of condolence line the alley in Itaewon, Yongsan District, Seoul, where the October 29, 2022 crowd crush occurred, as South Korea marks the third anniversary of the disaster. / Source: Yonhap News

At 10:29 a.m. on October 29, Seoul will sound a one-minute memorial siren to mark the third anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush, which killed 159 people in 2022. This is the first time the central government is hosting an official remembrance event for the disaster. The ceremony will take place at Gwanghwamun Square and is being organized jointly by the Itaewon victims’ families association, civil society groups, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is set to attend as the government representative, alongside National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, party leaders, religious groups, and civic organizations. President Lee Jae-myung’s tribute message will be delivered by video.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety asked the public to pause for silent reflection when the sirens sound, in remembrance of the victims. The tragedy, which took place in a packed alley in Itaewon on October 29, 2022, remains one of South Korea’s deadliest crowd disasters and claimed mostly young lives, including foreign nationals. A total of 159 people were killed and nearly 200 injured.

Despite the scale of the disaster and repeated calls for accountability, data submitted to the National Assembly shows that only nine public officials have faced disciplinary action related to failures in the response that night. According to Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the Democratic Party, eight of the nine sanctioned officials were from the police, and most were cited for violating their duty of sincerity in handling the disaster. The penalties included four dismissals, one suspension, three pay cuts and one reprimand.

Those dismissed include former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Public Safety Intelligence Chief Park Sung-min, who was accused of ordering the deletion of an internal police report on the incident, and former Yongsan Police Station Chief Lee Im-jae, who faced criticism for an inadequate on-site response. Former Seoul Police Commissioner Kim Kwang-ho received a three-month suspension.

At Yongsan District Office — which was widely criticized for its disaster response — former Yongsan Public Health Center chief Choi Jae-won was reprimanded for allegedly logging a false arrival time at the scene. But no officials at the Interior Ministry, Seoul City Hall or the National Fire Agency have been disciplined. Families of the victims and opposition lawmakers argue this underscores the lack of responsibility taken by senior leadership. Calls for broader accountability have continued even after court rulings that described the crush as a preventable, “man-made” disaster.

The government recently said that 62 individuals across agencies — including the police, Yongsan District Office and Seoul City Hall — bore responsibility either in their handling of the crisis or in follow-up measures. But for many bereaved families, the fact that only nine civil servants have actually been punished so far is proof that, three years on, the state still has not fully accepted blame.