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NMI shares grief over Itaewon tragedy
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and the sizeable Korean community in the CNMI have expressed grief and condolences after at least 151 people were killed in a crowd surge Saturday night in Seoul, South Korea.
In a statement to Saipan Tribune yesterday, Torres said, “I am saddened to hear about the incident that had occurred over the weekend in Itaewon, South Korea. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims, as well as those who were injured and are in recovery.”
The CNMI has a large South Korean population and the East Asian country is one of the main tourist markets of the CNMI.
When sought for comments, Hyung Jin Kim, who is vice president of the Korean Association of Saipan and is originally from Seoul, told Saipan Tribune that the tragedy is “really so sad. …The people dying were too young—teenagers or in their 20s.” Kim said that he called his young son, Steven Kim, who lives in Seoul, to ask him if he went to the Halloween event, but he said thankfully he didn’t end up going.
He also said that he and members of the Korean community on Saipan reached out to one another to check if their family members back home in Korea are safe and he said that none of the people they spoke with on Saipan knew anyone who was there at that time.
Lindsay Ahn, who is originally from Seoul and is the corporate social responsibility manager and executive assistant to the CEO of E-Land Group, told Saipan Tribune, “I can’t speak for others, but personally, it is absolutely tragic. I find it still hard to believe. I feel so sad and sorry for those young souls and the families who lost their loved ones.”
