Live from memorial altar set up in central Seoul

끊이지 않는 애도물결... 尹대통령, 분향소 사흘째 조문

People continue to visit memorial altars nationwide to share their sorrow and pay respects to those who died in Itaewon.
Our reporters have been at the one in downtown Seoul since early this morning to see how people are paying tribute.
Our Kim Bo-kyoung is there right now.
Bo-kyoung, what's the latest from where you are?

Hello, Devin.
I'm at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall, which is where one of 67 memorial altars has been set up nationwide.
This place is only a fifteen-minute drive from Itaewon, the site of Saturday night's tragedy.
President Yoon Suk-yeol...again paid a visit here Wednesday morning at around 9 AM... with members of his Cabinet and officials from the presidential office... and laid a chrysanthemum on the altar before bowing his head in silence.
This is President Yoon's third visit since the altar was set up.
His first was also here at Seoul Plaza with First Lady Kim Keon-hee on Monday, and the second on Tuesday was at Noksapyeong Station, just right down the street from the site of the Itaewon incident.
We've been seeing mourners coming in continuously since early morning, laying flowers and leaving messages of condolence.
As of Tuesday evening, more than 41-thousand people had come to Seoul Plaza and the other memorial sites set up in the 25 districts of Seoul.
On the first day, there were more than 17-thousand, and on Tuesday more than 24-thousand.
The altar at Seoul Plaza runs from 8 AM to 10 PM everyday until Saturday -- November 5th, that is --... the last day of the week-long national mourning period.
Visitors have included diplomats from other countries.
And, for example, I also spoke with a Canadian tourist who'd just been in Japan and then decided to pay her respects when she arrived in Korea.

"This lost so many young people and they represent the future of the world. So that's why we are here to express that we're very sorry and sadness to those young people."

"We found out actually when we went to a church service on Sunday in Kyoto so we were still in Japan that this horrible accident happened Seoul in Korea. It is so sad I feel so bad for the families and the people that were just out having a good time and ready to celebrate they haven't been out so long because of COVID and then to die in such horrible situation."

We can really see the heartfelt grief among the people here in Seoul, which we all share.
It has been a very somber week for everyone.
Bo-kyoung, what is the latest... with regard... to the casualties?

Devin, there is no change in the number of deaths.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters,... as of Wednesday at 11 AM, the death toll stands at 1-hundred-56.
Out of them, one-hundred-30 are Koreans and the other 26 were identified as non-Koreans.
One-hundred-one were women and the rest were men.
Most of the dead were in their twenties.
Funerals have already been held for 68 people.
Meanwhile, the number of injured has gone up to one-hundred-72... an addition of 15 more from the previous update at 6 AM.
33 are reportedly in serious condition.
That's all from me for now, but I'll have more updates this evening.
Back to you Devin.

#Itaewon #memorial_altar #arirang_news

2022-11-02, 17:00 (KST)

[slpip]

A deep condolence to the 156 deaths and families.