Ministry launches website for Itaewon crowd crush victims and bereaved families

The Ministry of Interior and Safety said Wednesday it will launch a dedicated website for victims and bereaved families of the Oct. 29 Itaewon crowd crush on Thursday.

The site consolidates information on victim support and memorial projects in one place and provides a communication channel for bereaved families and survivors. Funded following a request from bereaved families last year, it has been under construction since May and goes live to mark the fourth anniversary of the tragedy. Support and memorial information had previously been available through the ministry's main website.

Visitors can check eligibility for support programs, application procedures and required documents, as well as updates on memorial projects and upcoming event schedules.

The site also introduces new features to help users get answers and connect with one another. Bereaved families and survivors can submit inquiries about support programs or memorial projects and receive personalized responses directly from the officials in charge. Users are notified when a response is posted so they can check the outcome.

The site also provides a shared space where bereaved families and survivors can exchange views, as well as separate dedicated spaces for each group to share information and stay in contact.

To ensure foreign bereaved families and survivors can easily access information on support and memorial programs, the site offers services in five languages: English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Persian.

Shin Ki-dong, head of the Oct. 29 Itaewon Crowd Crush Victim Relief and Memorial Support team, said he hopes the site will help bereaved families and survivors "more easily find answers to their questions, communicate with one another, and take small steps toward healing from the pain of the tragedy and returning to everyday life."