SEOUL: As South Korea mourns the deaths of more than 150 people in a Halloween party crush, many people - even those not directly involved - are dealing with trauma and a search for answers that has at times blamed the victims, a psychiatry expert says.
Thanks in part to a flood of disturbing images in the first hours of the disaster, the emotional and mental health effects of the disaster could touch all corners of society, said Ulsan University Hospital professor of psychiatry Jun Jin-yong.
"It spread very quickly through news media and social media, leaving people directly and indirectly affected, and even those who aren't affected may feel distressed and frustrated, pretty much casting a sense of dread over the entire society," he said.
The initial shock from the crush in the popular Itaewon district on Saturday night has turned to public outrage over the government's planning missteps and inadequate police response.
Tens of thousands of revellers, many of them young, had crowded into narrow streets and alleyways of Itaewon for the first virtually unrestricted Halloween festivities in three years. An uncontrolled surge of people into one narrow alleyway turned into a deadly crush.
Disturbing footage showing emergency rescue officials and citizens providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to unconscious victims quickly went viral on social media even before the nature and the scale of the disaster became known.
The graphic images were replayed on mainstream news media. Then speculation about what caused the disaster began to swirl.
"What makes it harder for most people is that it was nobody's fault that they happened to be there, and when you keep asking why were they there in the first place ... that's a recipe for social conflict," Jun said.
The death toll stands at 156, with 172 injured, 33 of whom were in serious condition.
The government sent a mobile clinic run by the National Center for Disaster Trauma to Itaewon, offering free counselling.
Jun said there was a natural human tendency to look for an explanation for a disaster, placing blame on people or a set of circumstances.
"When you see reactions to disasters, there are inevitable reactions trying to find some scapegoats and blaming them," Jun said. "For example, when we had COVID-19 cases the first time in South Korea, there were a lot of blaming reactions like 'why did you go there? Why did you spread it to others.'"
Kim Bum-jin, 18, said recurring memories of the disaster have made him unable to sleep or eat. "The memories keep coming back, so now I’m having a panic attack when I hear any siren sounds."
"Everyone was there to enjoy a festival. No one knew that accident would happen," Kim said. "I don't understand how people can blame (the victims and survivors.)"
Hwang Jung-soon, 75, was mourning at a memorial altar set up in front of Seoul's city hall. She said the scope of the disaster was hard to comprehend.
"I've been watching the news over and over and feeling so sad. I feel depressed, can't eat and have a headache," she said. "This news just doesn't make any sense."
Reuters
Thu Nov 03 2022
Police officers stand guard near the scene of a crowd crush that happened during Halloween festivities, in Seoul, South Korea, November 2, 2022. - REUTERS
Pelarian tiba di Syria selepas serangan Israel ke atas Lubnan - UNHCR
Lebih 200,000 warga Syria dan Lubnan telah tiba di Syria dari Lubnan sejak serangan Israel bermula 23 September lalu.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Lebih 2,000 terkorban di Lubnan akibat serangan Israel
Jumlah mangsa yang maut itu termasuk 261 wanita dan 127 kanak-kanak.
Lebih 2,000 terkorban di Lubnan akibat serangan Israel
Laporan Al Jazeera menyebut, jumlah mangsa yang maut itu termasuk 261 wanita dan 127 kanak-kanak.
AWANI Pagi: Pendayaupayaan Pembangunan Sosio Ekonomi Bagi Memacu Wilayah Persekutuan
Ikuti temu bual bersama Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa di #AWANIPagi jam 7.30 pagi di saluran 501 Astro AWANI.
Pentagon, Jabatan Negara AS beri amaran jenayah perang Israel
Pegawai-pegawai tersebut telah memberi amaran peningkatan jumlah kematian di Gaza mungkin melanggar undang-undang antarabangsa.
200,000 pelarian tiba di Syria selepas serangan Israel ke atas Lubnan - UNHCR
Lebih 200,000 warga Syria dan Lubnan telah tiba di Syria dari Lubnan sejak serangan Israel bermula pada 23 Sept.
Belanjawan 2025: Kesalinghubungan internet di sekolah, kampus jadi keutamaan - Fahmi
Kementerian Komunikasi akan memberikan keutamaan dengan meneruskan usaha untuk meningkatkan dan memantapkan lagi prasarana kesalinghubungan melibatkan isu Internet, dalam Belanjawan 2025 yang akan dibentangkan pada 18 Okt ini.
Setahun solidariti, sokongan global untuk Palestin di tengah-tengah genosid berterusan Israel
Ribuan manusia di seluruh dunia turun ke jalanan untuk menyuarakan sokongan kepada Palestin dan menuntut keadilan.
Indonesia kecewakan China, raih kejuaraan badminton berpasukan campuran remaja dunia
Indonesia menewaskan China untuk muncul Juara Badminton Berpasukan Campuran Remaja Dunia dengan kemenangan 110-103 (mata terkumpul).
Bomba selamatkan tiga subkontrakor terkandas di kren pengangkat
Ketiga-tiga mangsa lelaki itu masing-masing berusia 24, 26 dan 32 tahun terkandas dengan anggaran ketinggian dua tingkat.
Rempuhan Itaewon: Siasatan selesai, 23 pegawai Korea Selatan dirujuk untuk pendakwaan
Polis Korea Selatan telah menyelesaikan siasatan yang mengambil masa berbulan-bulan pada Jumaat mengenai rempuhan orang ramai yang membawa maut di kejiranan Itaewon, ibu kota Seoul tahun lepas.
Masih 'trauma', Itaewon sunyi tanpa kehadiran orang ramai
Kawasan Itaewon yang lazimnya bergemerlapan semasa musim cuti Krismas bagaikan 'pekan hantu' tanpa kehadiran orang ramai sejak tragedi rempuhan yang berlaku Oktober lalu.
Angka korban tragedi rempuhan Halloween Itaewon meningkat ke 158
Ibu Pejabat Pencegahan Bencana dan Keselamatan Pusat memaklumkan, mangsa terkini merupakan seorang wanita tempatan berusia 20-an.
Tragedi Halloween Itaewon: Seorang rakyat Malaysia cedera, tiada yang terkorban
Kementerian Luar Negeri harini mengesahkan tiada warganegara Malaysia yang terkorban dalam insiden rempuhan di Itaewon, Republik Korea.
Kawalan pengunjung tidak mencukupi punca tragedi Halloween Itaewon - PM Korea Selatan
Rempuhan orang ramai yang berlaku pada malam Sabtu di daerah Itaewon, Korea Selatan semasa perayaan Halloween sebahagiannya berpunca daripada pengurusan orang ramai yang lemah.
Lima hal 'pelik' berlaku ketika tragedi Halloween Itaewon
Tragedi Halloween terus menjadi perhatian dunia apabila meragut 154 nyawa pada malam Sabtu lalu.
Tragedi Halloween Itaewon: Ismail Sabri ucap takziah kepada Korea Selatan
Malaysia turut bersedih atas tragedi itu, kata Perdana Menteri.
Tragedi Halloween Itaewon: Korea Selatan berkabung kenang mangsa
Jambangan bunga putih dan ucapan takziah diletakkan di altar peringatan, dan kedai-kedai yang menggantung mesej ucapan takziah menutup perniagaan masing-masing di daerah Itaewon di Seoul pada Isnin.
Tragedi Halloween Itaewon: Polis Seoul terima 355 laporan orang hilang
Pihak berkuasa metropolitan Seoul menerima 355 laporan individu hilang dipercayai menjadi mangsa tragedi rempuhan ketika festival Halloween di daerah Itaewon.
Tragedi Halloween Itaewon: Lebih 150 disah maut, angka kematian dijangka terus meningkat
Sekurang-kurangnya 153 orang terbunuh manakala 103 lagi cedera dalam kejadian rempuhan di Itaewon, Seoul.