The main organizer of the event at which 16 people died in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, remains unclear with the local news outlet Edaily and local governments taking contradicting positions.

The concertgoers plunged to their deaths Friday when the grates covering a ventilation shaft collapsed under the weight of 27 people watching a girl group concert in Seongnam’s Pangyo Techno Valley.

While the event was operated by Edaily’s subsidiary, the issue of who organized the event has become a controversy.

The Gyeonggi Province and Seongnam City governments have claimed that Edaily used their names without permission, while the news provider claims that all matters were negotiated with the local governments.

On the pamphlets advertising the event, the governments of Gyeonggi Province and Seongnam City, and the Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion were named as the hosts of the event. Edaily’s subsidiary Edaily TV is named as the event’s operator. 

According to Kim Nam-joon, the spokesman for the response center, the two local governments did not receive any request to host the event, and Edaily used the names of the two organizations under the connivance of the Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion.

The concerned parties, however, appear likely to put off the issue until the police investigation is complete.

“The important issue right now is the psychological stability of the victims’ families,” Kim said.

“The matter of who is responsible is an issue that needs to be settled legally based on the results of the police investigation.”

While the issue remains outstanding, Edaily chairman Kwak Jae-seon declined to comment on the issue following a meeting with Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung and Gyeonggi Province Gov. Nam Kyung-pil on Sunday.

Kwak, however, said that his company had entrusted the emergency response team with all issues concerning the families of the victims.

“(Edaily) has entrusted all matters, including compensation, to the response center, and will follow its decisions,” Kwak said.

“Separately from Edaily, I will provide tuition fees for the children of the deceased until university through my scholarship foundation.”

The response center, which consists of Gyeonggi Province and Seongnam City government, plans to launch a legal support team for the victims and their families, while Gyeonggi Province will conduct a special audit on building safety.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)