German president to pay respect to victims of Itaewon crush during S. Korean visit

All News 14:36 November 02, 2022

By Chang Dong-woo

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier plans to pay tribute to the victims of a deadly Halloween crowd crush during his upcoming official visit to South Korea, informed sources said Wednesday.

Steinmeier is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Thursday for a three-day stay, in which he will meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol. He would be the first foreign head of state to make a trip here since the Itaewon accident that left at least 156 people, including 26 foreigners, killed and some 30 others seriously injured.

He also plans to pay respect to the victims at a mourning altar established in front of Seoul City Hall, according to multiple sources who would not reveal the exact timing of his visit

The schedule was not initially included in Steinmeier's itinerary provided by his office, which includes visits to Samsung Electronics Co.'s semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek and a United Nations cemetery in Busan. It was later added in the midst of South Korea's official mourning period over the tragedy that occurred in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon on Saturday.

The South Korean government has designated a weeklong national mourning period through Saturday, with flags hoisted at half-mast at government buildings and public offices across the country. Major planned festivities nationwide have been canceled as well.

Saturday's incident marked the deadliest crowd crush in South Korea's history and the worst disaster the country has seen since 2014, when the ferry Sewol sank in waters off the south coast and killed 304 people, mostly high school students.

Steinmeier's visit, which will be the first by a German president in four years, comes as the two countries will mark 140 years since they began bilateral exchanges next year.