The deaths of 158 people in the Itaewon crowd crush have left an indelible mark on the psyche of the South Korean people in many ways. Beyond the immediate tragedy of losing so many young lives, the heartbreaking stories reveal a looming mental health crisis, and tackling it must become a top priority for the Yoon administration.

However, the government initially decided to use the word “accident” instead of “disaster” or “crush” when describing the incident. The government’s position was that Itaewon is a popular tourist destination, and it didn’t want to impart “a bad reputation” by referring to the incident as a “disaster.” 

Besides feeding into the narrative that the government was attempting to deflect blame for the incident, the decision also contradicted scientific consensus of the characteristics of a disaster. It also did nothing to help people cope with the mental trauma that they experienced. 

And the trauma’s effects are widespread as it rippled across society to loved ones dealing with grief and first responders struggling with post-traumatic stress. For instance, it is common for first responders to struggle emotionally with survivor’s guilt, as was demonstrated in the reporting of one of the police officers who tried to save as many lives as he could.

Many young people watched the Itaewon tragedy unfold on social media | Image: Black Android Smartphone Near Laptop Pexels

YOUNG PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED

The first step in tackling the crisis is for the government to take the necessary steps to end the social taboos surrounding mental health. There is little doubt that the most-affected groups are those in their 20s and 30s — millennials and Gen-Zs — that comprised most of the people in Itaewon that terrible night.

That the tragedy affected so many young people is concerning because, according to the American Psychological Association, young people face unique chronic stress factors often attributed to the internet. Social media was the primary platform where many young Koreans watched the crush happen in real-time, with bodies lying on the ground and frantic efforts to save people’s lives.

Unfortunately, many South Koreans ignore the importance of mental health. One report in the Harvard International Review from this year suggests that while a quarter of Korea’s population faces one type of mental disorder or another, an overwhelming majority of elderly individuals see depression and other mental health problems as “a sign of weakness.”

While the government dispatched mental health professionals to help victims directly affected, there does not seem to be recognition of the collective trauma South Korean young people now face. As mentioned earlier, the prevalence of social media made the Itaewon tragedy a potent trauma point for anyone who was there or knew someone who was there.

During the ongoing course of investigations, the police have arrested two senior intelligence officers suspected of ordering the deletion of an internal intelligence report warning of a possible crowd surge in Itaewon on Oct. 29. 

While it is important to seek justice, the Yoon administration can begin to give mental health the focus it needs without waiting for the conclusion of the investigation.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Seoul National Cemetery during the 67th Korea Memorial Day, June 6, 2022. | Image: Jeon Han via Republic of Korea Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The first step is to work toward changing public attitudes surrounding mental health. Yoon can use the bully pulpit afforded by the presidency to provide desperately needed mental support to younger people while reaching his older, more conservative base with a message that mental health issues are an internationally-recognized medical diagnosis.

Aside from being the right thing to do, Yoon may find bilateral support for such a policy ahead of next year’s by-elections. The fact remains that Yoon become president by a historically low narrow margin, and he wouldn’t have won if he had not won young people’s support. He can gain that back by enacting pro-mental health policies that help those still trying to process Itaewon. 

Although South Korea is among the richest economies, it consistently ranks as one of the unhappiest places on earth. A comprehensive mental health strategy that addresses not just Itaewon victims but all of society can help combat a wide range of social problems.

Unhappiness and depression lead to actual and significant economic costs. They can lead to direct medical expenses such as counseling and psychiatric treatment, workplace costs such as absenteeism and reduced productivity and suicide, which has risen among young South Koreans. 

President Yoon’s approval numbers among voters have been consistently low since the start of his presidency. However, Yoon can turn this around and leave his mark on history by prioritizing mental health care and taking the necessary steps to formulate a national mental health care framework that is timely, affordable and universal.