President Lee vows never to forget Osong underpass tragedy, pledges stronger disaster response

President Lee Jae Myung marked the third anniversary of the Osong underpass disaster on Wednesday, saying "we must never forget this tragedy" and pledging to honor the victims through lasting action. "I solemnly promise that we will remember each and every one of those who were lost, and that memory will be carried forward as responsibility," he said.

Lee's remarks were delivered as a eulogy at a memorial ceremony held at the North Chungcheong Province government building. Jeon Seong-hwan, the senior presidential secretary for public communication, attended on Lee's behalf and read the address aloud.

Lee opened by addressing the bereaved families and survivors directly. "To the families and victims of the July 15 Osong underpass disaster — three years ago on that Wednesday, we lost fourteen precious lives," he said.

He paid tribute to each of the victims in turn: a bus driver who had kept commuters safe on their daily journeys; a devoted oppa who, after losing his parents early, had become the pillar of his family and cherished his younger sister above all; a wife who had retired and was tending a small garden, dreaming of a modest but happy life ahead. "Some were parents waiting for their children to come home. Others were young people full of hope, building toward a bright future," he said. "An utterly ordinary day was brought to a halt by a sudden downpour, and in the end, they never made it back to the families who loved them and waited for them."

Lee again extended his condolences. "I offer my deepest sympathy to the bereaved families and survivors who carry within them a pain that is almost impossible to fathom," he said.

Lee said the disaster had left a painful lesson for Korean society. "There were repeated warnings of danger, and there was enough time to prepare. The consequences of overlooking those signals were devastating," he said.

He went on to stress the need to prevent a recurrence. "Heavy rainfall and extreme weather driven by the climate crisis are no longer exceptional disasters — they are a reality we must always be ready for," Lee said. "Our response must change accordingly. We must shift from managing the aftermath of accidents to a prevention-first approach that stops them from happening in the first place."

"The government will take preemptive precautions, even to a degree that may seem excessive," he pledged. Lee said the government would thoroughly inspect disaster-prone areas — including underpasses, riverbanks, and zones at risk of landslides and flooding — and build a response system capable of imposing controls and ordering evacuations the moment danger is detected. "We will build a system in which relevant agencies respond with accountability, without overlooking even the smallest warning sign on the ground," he said.

Lee said again that the state's foremost duty is to protect the lives and safety of its people. "The government will do everything in its power to ensure that people can go about their ordinary lives without worry — that those who leave home in the morning can return safely to their families in the evening," he said.

"I pray again with all my heart for the repose of those who were lost," he said.