Psychiatrists mourn ‘Muan disaster,’ stressing the need for trauma recovery support

Mental health doctors expressed their condolences over the Muan International Airport passenger plane crash and called for sufficient government support to help survivors and their families recover from trauma.

“We express our deepest condolences for the tragedy of the passenger plane crash at Muan International Airport,” the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association and the Korean Society for Traumatic Stress Studies said in a statement on Sunday.

They emphasized the need for concrete measures to ensure that survivors and bereaved families receive adequate medical treatment and psychological help.

“The central and local governments must make every effort to help survivors and their families recover from trauma,” the psychiatrist groups said. “In addition to physical recovery, the governments must support survivors and their families to endure and heal from their grief and suffering in a safe environment.”

Disaster trauma can have long-term physical and mental effects, not just in the immediate aftermath of an incident, and the government must work together with experts across sectors, including mental health professionals, to prevent secondary harm, the two organizations noted.

“We call for governments and related organizations to respond quickly to rescue survivors, search for and identify the dead, and take great care to respect the honor of victims and avoid hurting the feelings of bereaved families and survivors,” they said. “It is also necessary to prevent mental distress among the public who receive news through the media.”

They also sent messages to survivors and bereaved families.

“The tragedy is not your fault. Don't hide your pain and try to bear it alone,” they said. “You have people who love and support you, mental health professionals. Mental health professionals stand with everyone who has experienced trauma and disaster and are here to help them heal and recover.”