“I Cannot Believe This,” Lamented Daegu Citizens

Daegu was flooded with tears.

On day after the arson attack, citizens lamented as they were informed that their relatives, friends, colleagues and neighbors were killed or wounded in the subway.

Bereaved families and their relatives rushed to the Daegu citizens` hall where a joint site for the dead souls is prepared and mourn bitterly. Citizens expressed their grieves in the Internet bulletin boards.

Government officials wore black ribbons to express their sorrow at the death and some gave out the black ribbons to the citizens.

Educational institutions around Joonangno Station where the arson took place were also surged with sorrow as about 20 students and teachers were reported to be killed in the subway.

Lee Jungsuk (36), a student of an institution for licensed real estate agent near Joonangno Station was on her way to the institution after sent her two daughters to school and kindergarten. However, she could not make her way out in the flames and she is listed as missing. Ahn Joongsul (63), her mother-in-law, said in tears, “My six-year-old granddaughter keeps asking me when her mother will be home and I don`t know what to say.”

Shin Seungmin (37), the husband of missing student of the real estate agent institution Kim Jin-hee (33) said, “She sent message saying `there is a fire on the train` and then I lost contact with her,” sobbing and looking in the cellular phone.

Internet bulletin boards including Daegu City Hall homepage were congested with anger and grief.

L said in an Internet bulletin board, “How could this happen in Daegu? I resent the God who killed these people.”

S proposed and said, “Citizens in Daegu, let`s wear black ribbons and pray for the souls of the dead.” Another netizen said, “I couldn`t help but cry when I passed by Joongangno Station. Daegu citizens, let`s be abstinent for a while.”

A netizen who introduced himself as a Seoul citizen said, “I`ve never been in Daegu, but I can feel your sorrows through the television. Cheer up, Daegu citizens.”

The crowd in Dongsungno, a downtown of Daegu, was less than the half of usual, showing gloomy sentiment in Daegu. In addition, Daegu subway started its operation again but there were almost no passengers in, representing psychological shock which Daegu citizens felt.

mobidic@donga.com