[Editor's View] Autumn Is Here Again

The extreme heat has subsided, and autumn has come. Every autumn, there is a sentence to dwell on. "Cheer up. It's autumn. Love you." These are the last three sentences left by Dr. Han Won-Ju, considered the oldest doctor in Korea before she passed away. These short words have a miraculous power. In particular, the harmony of the words "Cheer up" and "It's autumn" gives us the courage to shake off the things that have plagued us because we entered the second half of this year, which has been rushed in our ways. At the same time, it gives us the strength to prepare for the second half of the year with a firm mind.

As autumn approaches, there are people I want to convey these sentences to. It is the “10.29 Itaewon Halloween Crowd Crush Bereaved Family Council.” It happened last autumn, passed through winter, spring, and summer, and has now faced autumn again. I went to the joint memorial altar for the victims of the 10.29 Itaewon Halloween Crowd Crush located in Seoul Plaza to report this spring. Indeed, their living conditions I encountered were much worse than those in the mainstream media. The bereaved families I met there differed from what some criticized as "objects of controversy." They treated me, who came for reporting, "just like their own children."

There was only one thing they consistently asked for. It is the "enactment of a special law" to find out the truth about the death of their beloved family member. The purpose is also to reveal the truth and responsibility of the accident and, by uncovering the truth, to establish proper measures to prevent recurrence. Ahead of the first anniversary, they said that they had no time to show their tiredness for enacting a special law. However, there was no mention from the government about passing the special law until autumn comes again after three seasons. Instead, regulations at the city and government levels have only become stricter, such as trying to demolish the memorial altar and deploying riot police to the protestors.

Only those who complain of frustration with the "non-communication" of authoritative entities such as the government and Seoul will suffer again. I had doubts about whether policymakers only consider people’s voices when physical pain becomes visible. For the bereaved families who spent whole seasons in tents, getting frostbites in the winter and fevers in the summer were the norm. Last summer, I saw the images of two bereaved families who went on a hunger strike through articles. He was the one who responded to the interview when I went to Seoul Plaza in March, saying that the upcoming summer was a real crisis but that he would somehow hold out to find out the truth of his daughter’s death. He looked emaciated in just a few months, but I was able to recognize him immediately.

There was some progress ahead of the first anniversary. The standing committee approved the special law on August 31. However, it is frustrating that there was a "three-step and one-bow procession" of the bereaved families before that. From August 22 to 24, the bereaved families made a three-step and one-bow procession from the memorial altar to the National Assembly, regardless of heavy rain and heat waves. Moreover, the discussion on this special law was only carried out by the parliamentary opposition after the ruling party lawmakers had left. In other words, it has only just crossed the enactment threshold due to the three-step and one-bow procession.

The government must listen to the voices of those who push their physical limits for the fundamental right to know and urgent safety measures. Even if some say it's a "David and Goliath" battle, I'll cheer for them to overcome their struggles with the heart of "Cheer up, It's autumn, Love you." At the same time, as a member of the school newspaper and as a Busan resident, I will strive to publicize their endeavors.

By Yoon Da-Gyo, the Editor-in-Chief of PNU Newspaper

Translated by Kim Tae-Yi