Citizens are responding warmly to a Cheonggyecheon that has water running in it for the first time in 47 years. The faces of people who come out to see it while feeling that refreshing autumn sun are full of happy expression. The fact that a woman in her fifties fell to her death the day of Cheonggyecheon's official reopening, however, hurts all the more for being a misfortunate incident that occurred at a time of celebration. The concern that there could be an accident if a large crowd gathered all at one time at an early stage in the "stream's" opening turned out to have been well founded.
We are of course aware of how the Seoul city government has spent much effort on accident prevention and has in its own way made careful preparations and inspections. But as this incident demonstrates, the public's safety does not allow for the slightest bit of inattention. And since large crowds – including children and the old or physically weak – there's no assurance there won't be similar accidents as time goes on.
A typical example would the issue of a safe walkway next to the stream, something that has long been noted as potentially very dangerous. It is very narrow, and the railing looks like there is a great danger of falling. Furthermore, the large crowd made some citizens walk in the street, and people have witnessed scary moments. There are dangerous factors all around, beginning with how people are encouraged to cross the street wherever they can because of the lack of crosswalks and because of the unstable traffic signals.
The city has many problems to resolve in addition to safety, such as insufficient convenience facilities. One hopes to see it take the opportunity to engage in a comprehensive inspection of areas that remain lacking and that it will make a perfect Cheonggyecheon that has no flaws. The public, for its part, needs to refrain from activities that threaten personal safety, and to exercise the kind of mature civic awareness that avoids offensive behavior.
The Hankyoreh, 4 October 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
