ITAEWON MEMORIAL ALTAR REMOVAL POSTPONED

[Anchor Lead]

Seoul City has postponed the enforcement of an administrative execution to dismantle a memorial altar set up at Seoul Plaza by the families of the Itaewon crowd crush victims. The city government also asked the families to suggest an alternative location. Seoul Vice Mayor for Political Affairs Oh Shin-hwan said Tuesday the postponement was decided despite the fact that the unauthorized altar was set up abruptly and illegally on Saturday without consultation. The vice mayor then requested the families to propose a new location by Sunday, aside from Noksapyeong subway station, which was previously suggested by city officials. He stressed that dismantling the unapproved altar which lacks social consensus is an appropriate administrative action.