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LIFE

제 16 호 A Picture of People Showing Condolences to the Victims

  • 작성일 2022-11-30
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Kicker: LIFE (Civic Awareness)


The Critical Need for Mature Civic Awareness



Yeong-Jin Choi, Editor

pch39067@gmail.com

                                                     


  I am sure all of you readers are familiar with the tragic accident that happened in Itaewon, Seoul on October 29, 2022. Over 150 people were sacrificed that day, and even more people were injured within a night. After the accident, Koreans and even people from abroad shared their deepest condolences* to the sacrificed and their families. Medias criticized that the absence of the rescue operation for nearly half an hour was the main cause of the terrible accident, and also the reason why the accident became uncontrollable. Since the emergency personnel could not effectively evacuate people on time, some victims were trapped for more than an hour before rescuers reached them. While I most strongly agree with the cause of many deaths and casualties was because of the late arrival of the rescuers, I do want to point out that the absence of the civic awareness as why the accident happened in the first place. Therefore, in this article, I would like to focus on what happened during the accident and compare and contrast the civic awareness between Korea and other advanced countries in order to prevent further tragedies. 



*Condolence: Sympathy and sadness for the family or close friends of a person who has recently died, or an expression of this, especially in written form. 


Terrible Accident Occurred in Itaewon, Seoul on October 29, 2022


A Picture of People Showing Condolences to the Victims


  Some people say that the Itaewon crowd crush felt like an accident that was bound to happen. With the death toll as it stands, this accident is the deadliest disaster in South Korea since 2014, when the Sewol ferry sank killing more than 300 people. Witnesses of the 10.29 accident say that there were so many people just being pushed around, and some were caught in the crowd, unable to get out of the hazardous area. The thing is that this Halloween party held in Itaewon this October was not the first time. It was always under control, and no casualties were reported. 


  What was so different this time? A total of 156 people were sacrificed from the accident. Most of them were teenagers or in their twenties. Twenty people were foreigners. Before the accident actually occurred, social media messages posted earlier in the evening showed some people remarking that the Itaewon area was so crowded that it felt unsafe. One witness, Park Jung-Hoon, told a news agency that big crowds were normal for Christmas and fireworks celebrations, but this was several ten-folds bigger than any of those. 


Civic Awareness, Civic Engagement, and Civic Consciousness

  Some people are pointing out the need of safety standards, crowd control measures, and the absence of mature civic awareness of Koreans. What I would like to focus on is about how important mature civic awareness is needed for all the Koreans for their own safety. So, what exactly does civic awareness mean? Civic awareness is also called as civic engagement or civic consciousness, and it refers to how people feel, learn about, and take actions related to political, societal, or local issues. It includes aspects like “receiving civics education”, “voting, including presidential, midterm, and local elections”, “engaging with public officials and attending public meetings”, “keeping up with the news and posting views about it online”, “trusting government and local media”, “the degree to which people feel they matter and can make an impact in their communities”, and “obstacles and barriers to becoming engaged”. 


The Importance of Civic Awareness

  It is important because it influences the progress of the state and society. In the absence of civic awareness, human beings will become selfish, and all the activities will be for their own achievements. To ensure the welfare of all and the reconstruction of the society, civic consciousness must be developed. 

The basis of civic consciousness is the recognition that if the activities of each individual are for the well-being of the society, social problems can be solved. Another basis of civic awareness is morality. Meaning, the ability to recognize virtues from vices*, accept virtues, and to perform duties with utmost responsibility is highly required. 


  The Itaewon accident, for instance, has occurred because so many people were crowded in such a confined street. Many Koreans self-patronize themselves by saying that Koreans tend to push the rest no matter what discomfort they make. Instead of saying “Pardon”, “Excuse me”, or even a simple “sorry” for the other’s inconveniences, people just push the others for their personal benefits. 


  This typical pushing-others-for-their-own-benefit-type of action is very well observed on the subways. On the way back from work, from about 5 P.M to 8 P.M, all the subways located in Seoul are full of people. It is acknowledgeable that every person wants to go back to their home and take a good rest. However, that does not justify one’s action to just step in a fully crowded subway when people who are already inside are yelling, “Don’t push! There’s no space!” This proves that many Koreans are underestimating that their everyday actions may cause severe damage. 


*Vice: A moral fault or weakness in someone’s character. 




  What happened in Itaewon was truly a heart-breaking tragedy. Some people criticize the absence of immediate emergency personnel. Some say that the amount of the crowds concentrated in such a cramped area was just out of control. I would like to emphasize again the absence of civic consciousness. If there are civic virtues that we can learn from other countries, it will be wise to know the fact that we may lack the civic engagement, and to embrace other countries’ perspectives to prevent another similar incident happening in the future. 



Sources: 

https://url.kr/5otkw6

https://url.kr/cbyhm5