'Call of Duty' Apologizes... "Itaewon Tragedy Video to Be Deleted"

[Dispatch=Lee Myung-ju Reporter] The shooting game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" has apologized for the use of footage from the Itaewon tragedy.

Distributor "Activision" stated on the 30th, "We offer our deepest condolences and apologies to the bereaved families and victims who have suffered profound wounds from this incident, and to all who have been caused concern."

The problematic video material will be completely deleted. This will occur through a game update distributed on the 12th of next month. Approximately 3 seconds of footage will be removed from the game.

The distributor stated, "This game is a fictional work produced based on realistic immersion," and clarified, "There was no intention to evoke tragic incidents including the Itaewon tragedy or to trivialize that pain."

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" is a new installment in the "Call of Duty" series released on the 23rd. It assumes a scenario in which North Korea invades South Korea and war breaks out on the Korean peninsula.

However, allegations arose that inappropriate scenes were used in the game's opening cinematic footage. News footage depicting actual rescue operations during the Itaewon tragedy was reportedly used.

The source description of the relevant footage reportedly contained content stating "A large-scale crush accident occurred in Korea, with at least 153 deaths."

The bereaved families council of the 10·29 Itaewon tragedy stated on the 28th, "We cannot hide our shock at how scenes showing the desperate situation in which citizens performed CPR to save one another and victims lay on the cold street were directly taken as a scene from the game."

It further criticized, "The use of a tragic disaster as game material for entertainment purposes is a highly inappropriate and senseless act that fails to consider the dignity of the victims."

The government also stepped in. Yunho, Minister of Interior and Safety, defined this incident as "secondary victimization" at a media briefing on the 29th. Regarding the game, he stated, "I believe appropriate sanctions should be taken."

Meanwhile, the Itaewon tragedy is a large-scale crush accident that occurred in the Itaewon-dong area, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on October 29, 2022. With crowds gathering due to a Halloween festival, 162 people lost their lives.