CONCERNS OVER WIDESPREAD TRAUMATIC IMPACT

[Anchor Lead]

The tragedy in Itaewon was shocking and devastating to many people including those who did not lose their loved ones in the stampede. But unfiltered videos and photos of the tragedy posted on social media are exacerbating the situation, raising concerns of a widespread traumatic impact on the public. The Korean Neuropsychiatric Association and the Korean Society of Traumatic Stress Studies are urging the public to refrain from malicious remarks and the reckless spread of the images of the tragedy.

[Pkg]

Uncensored videos and photos of the Itaewon Halloween tragedy victims posted on social media overnight went viral in real time. The unfiltered videos show the chaos vividly with people screaming during the crowd crush. Some of the replies even tease or disparage the victims. Experts say posting unfiltered photos and videos of the site of a tragedy constitutes libel of the deceased and victims, and may cause secondary or tertiary damage. There are also concerns the survivors of the stampede, victims' bereaved families and eyewitnesses may develop psychological trauma.

[Soundbite] Paik Jong-Woo(Korean Neuropsychiatric Association) : "Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder affect primarily those who lose their loved ones, witness a tragic event or sustain injuries in it. Those who experience indirectly are not diagnosed with PTSD, but this doesn’t mean they’re fine. People who share the pain by watching videos or hearing the news are also affected."

Some experts say hate speech against the bereaved families and those who were at the site of the tragedy can exacerbate the trauma and hamper recovery. They also warn that watching too much videos of the accident and its news coverage can have a detrimental effect on one's health. The government will set up a task force at the National Center for Disaster and Trauma to help people cope with the psychological aftermath of the Itaewon tragedy and provide counseling to over a thousand bereaved family members as well as the injured.