Support for Itaewon tragedy victims

[Anchor]

The victims and families of the Itaewon disaster, which resulted in over 300 casualties, will receive government support.

Reporter Kang Purun reports on the beneficiaries and the scale of support.

[Report]

The Itaewon disaster caused over 300 casualties.

A special law for the investigation of the incident and prevention of recurrence passed the National Assembly 551 days after the disaster occurred.

[Nam In-soon/Chairperson of the Democratic Party's Itaewon Disaster Special Committee/May 2, 2024: "I believe this is the cornerstone for creating a safe society."]

Although the Itaewon disaster special committee was launched at the end of September last year, it is still in its infancy.

Starting tomorrow (Jun. 9), the government will accept applications for living support funds from bereaved families and victims at their local municipalities.

This comes 2 years and 7 months after the disaster.

Merchants near the disaster site or those who experienced mental trauma while participating in the recovery efforts are also eligible to apply.

[Jo Se-jun/Chairperson of the Itaewon Disaster Victim Relief Review Committee: "This is not a monthly payment for those recognized as needing recovery due to physical, mental, or economic damage, but a one-time payment of a certain amount."]

The more family members living together, the larger the support amount.

For bereaved families, a single-person household will receive 1.46 million won, while households with seven or more members will receive 5.55 million won.

Injured 'victims' can receive between a minimum of 730,000 won and a maximum of about 2.77 million won, depending on the number of family members.

With the passage of the special bill, the first official support measure from the government has left the families of the Itaewon disaster feeling a mix of hope and disappointment.

[Lee Jeong-min/Chairperson of the Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association: "Haven't the victims lived with that trauma for years? At the very least, just a minimal amount of attention should be recognized."]

This living support fund will not be counted toward the recognized income of basic livelihood security recipients for one year from the date of payment.

This is KBS News, Kang Purun.