[News Today] 2 YEARS AFTER ITAEWON TRAGEDY

[LEAD]
Today marks the second anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy. The bereaved families said the first step for uncovering the truth has begun, pleading for remembrance of the disaster and the victims. We reflect on their journey over the past two years.

[REPORT]
A site where 159 people perished.

Moment of silence is observed to remember and mourn the young victims.

Lee Jeong-min / Itaewon tragedy victims' bereaved families council
Though they came here willingly, their safety should have been guaranteed.

October has returned and the bereaved families still miss the deceased deeply.

Kang Sun-e/ Mother of late Lee Sang-eun
It feels like I'm reliving October of 2022. My heart is aching a lot.

They sometimes falter at a barrage of ciriticsm and speculations.

Im Ik-cheol/ Father of late Im Jong-won
We didn't ask for funeral expenses but criticized for wasting state budget, questioned if our kids died in line of duty.

But it was citizens' support and solidarity that helped them get back up.

Kang Sun-e/ Mother of late Lee Sang-eun
They cried with us and embraced us. Thanks to the empathy and solidarity, we have been able to hold on until now.

After a long struggle, they won an agreement to set up a special fact-finding panel.

The pursuit of finding what really happened two years ago and who is to blame is far from over.

Im Ik-cheol/ Father of late Im Jong-won
Witnessing the not guilty verdict, I doubted if this is really a fair society. It is outrageous.

The memorial space dedicated to the victims of the Itaewon crowd crush has not yet found a permanent home.

It will move to a venue near Gyeongbokgung Station next month. But it is again a temporary space.

Im Ik-cheol/ Father of late Im Jong-won
It is a commercial building so we need to renew the contract annually.

The bereaved families hope that a formal memorial space will be created in order to remember the tragedy and the victims.

Kang Sun-e/ Mother of late Lee Sang-eun
I hope we can create a society that mutually respects life, remembers a tragedy, and takes the lessons to put it towards solving social issues.