SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae-myung stressed the need to strengthen public safety measures Thursday as he visited the site of the crowd crush that claimed 159 people in 2022.

Lee laid flowers and observed a moment of silence at Memorial Alley in Seoul's Itaewon district, where the deadly tragedy occurred during Halloween festivities.

Prior to the visit, Lee convened a disaster preparedness meeting at the Han River Flood Control Center in southern Seoul to assess readiness for the upcoming rainy season.

Citing the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking that claimed 304 lives, the Itaewon crowd crush and the 2023 underground tunnel flooding in Osong that killed 13 people, Lee said the government will strictly respond to anticipated safety-related disasters.

During the meeting, he also called for institutional reforms to empower public safety officials, including upgraded ranks and improved compensation in recognition of their increased responsibilities.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)