The Incheon Metropolitan Government announced that it held a maritime memorial service in the waters near Palmido Island today (October 30) to mark the 27th anniversary of the Inhyeon-dong fire disaster.

The Inhyeon-dong fire disaster was an accident that occurred on October 30, 1999, at an illegally operated pub in Inhyeon-dong, Incheon. It resulted in the deaths of 57 people, including students who were having an after-party after finishing a school festival nearby, and left about 70 others injured.

This marks the first time the city government has directly hosted the memorial event, which had previously been organized mainly by civic groups or the Office of Education.

About 70 people, including bereaved family members and representatives of civic groups, laid chrysanthemum flowers in the waters where the ashes of the disaster victims were scattered to comfort their souls and pledged to build a safe society.

Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae said in a memorial speech, "I pray for the repose of the victims and offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families," adding, "We will pursue administration that puts the lives and safety of citizens first so that such a tragedy never happens again."

A monument was erected in 2004 at the Incheon Student Culture and Arts Center, established near the site of the Inhyeon-dong fire disaster, and a memorial stone engraved with the names of the victims was set up the following year.

(Photo provided by Incheon Metropolitan Government, Yonhap News)