'Call of Duty' Creators Finally Apologize, to Remove Itaewon Crowd Crush Footage

The creators of 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4,' which sparked controversy in South Korea for incorporating archive footage of the Itaewon crowd crush into the game, have announced that they will completely remove the problematic footage.

In an official statement distributed to domestic media outlets today (October 30), Activision, the publisher of the 'Call of Duty' series, stated that the video footage will be entirely removed through a game update scheduled to be distributed on November 12.

The developers explained that in utilizing actual news broadcast footage within the game, they had no intention whatsoever to evoke any tragic events, including the Itaewon crowd crush, or to downplay the pain associated with them.

They added that they bow their heads and offer their deepest condolences and apologies to the bereaved families and victims who may have been deeply hurt by this incident, as well as to everyone who has been caused concern.

Previously, the cinematic video in 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4,' released worldwide by Activision on October 23, included about three seconds of broadcast archive footage showing emergency responders performing CPR on a fallen citizen in the immediate aftermath of the Itaewon crowd crush.

The scene was intended to portray a situation where civilian casualties occurred due to the aftermath of a war breaking out within the game.

In response, the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster bereaved families' council and citizens' coalition issued a statement on October 28 demanding the removal of the scene, calling it extremely inappropriate and senseless that the incident was utilized as material for an entertainment-focused game.

(Photo: Game screen capture, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.