The 1999 Inhyeon-dong fire disaster, which claimed the lives of 57 teenagers, has gained an institutional foundation for commemoration 26 years after the tragedy.
The Incheon Metropolitan Council announced Sunday that it passed the "Incheon Inhyeon-dong Fire Disaster Commemoration and Victim Support Ordinance" during a plenary session of its 307th extraordinary meeting. Council member Kim Dae-young (Democratic Party, proportional representation) introduced the bill.
The disaster occurred on October 30, 1999, in a commercial building in Inhyeon-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, killing 57 people and injuring about 80 others. Middle and high school students had gathered at an illegally operated beer hall after a school festival when the fire broke out. Blocked emergency exits and rapidly spreading toxic fumes worsened the toll.
The ordinance includes provisions for establishing a memorial park, a memorial hall, and a monument. It also covers the collection and preservation of related materials. Legal grounds for counseling support through mental health welfare centers were specified to provide psychological care for victims and bereaved families.
"The Inhyeon-dong fire disaster is a painful chapter of Incheon's history that must never be forgotten," Kim said. "I will take the lead in building a safer society so that such a tragedy is never repeated."
