[Editorial] Share Pain and Agony with Residents in Daegu

Daegu, which was full of energy and vitality, turned into a city of mourning. Precious life of college freshmen, new recruits going to work and lots of people with the hope of the morning was reduced to ashes in a lamentable fire accident.

Last messages left on the phones of Daegu subway disaster victims` family members made hearts of the living almost burst into grief: “Help me, Mom! I`m almost dying from suffocating: “Dad, I`m dying of scorching.” Those messages “I love you,” or “I`m so sorry,” that those victims tried to convey at the last moment to their beloved family members remind us of what is the most important value in our life again.

This disastrous subway arson accident rather enrages us because the accident took place at the Daegu subway, which has been marred by past accidents, such as the 1995 gas explosion, which took 101 people lives. The arson attack cannot be dubbed only as an accident caused by a mentally and physically ill person. Like martyrs, residents in Daegu have gone through chronic diseases of the Korean society, such as repeated government complaisant attitude to prevent similar disasters and public insensibility to safety.

We are solemn as we see rescue workers who scarified their lives to save others` lives in the disastrous accident. As we witness military service men, medical workers, and volunteers engaging in recovery operations with rolling their sleeves, we think there still remain love and benevolence in the hearts of Koreans.

Now is the time for all the Koreans to share pain and agony with residents in Daegu. The city of Daegu declared until Feb.23 as the public mourning period for victims. The whole nation should find a way, spiritually or physically, to help residents in Daegu out of this difficult time as soon as possible, along with hoisting half-mast flags and wearing mourning ribbons in memory of the victims in the subway arson accident. It is important for the political circle to end counterproductive political fighting and focus on the prevention of similar accidents from occurring in the future with all their wisdom. Korea should seize the Daegu subway arson accident as an opportunity to unite the nation, which has been divided by deep-rooted regional rivalry, generation gaps, ideological differences and social stratums and rebuild the nation as a mature one.

We pray for the souls of the dead and express condolence to their bereaved family members, at the same time, praying for quick recovery of health for the injured.