Call of Duty publisher apologizes for using real footage of Itaewon crowd crush

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SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- The makers behind the Call of Duty video game apologized Friday for using real footage of the deadly 2022 Seoul crowd crush in its latest installment of the game and agreed to remove the footage.

A short clip showing a paramedic performing CPR on a crowd crush victim lying on the street appeared in the opening moments of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The footage was used to depict a scenario of civilian casualties during a fictional war with North Korea.

"We deeply apologize to the victims and their bereaved families who must have suffered, as well as to everyone who we have caused concern," Activision Publishing Inc. said in a notice to local reporters. "The footage will be removed in our update set to be rolled out on Nov. 12."

The publisher added it had no plans to evoke tragic events, including the Itaewon crowd crush, when using news footage in its games, nor had it intended to ignore the pain caused by the accident.

A total of 159 people were killed in a narrow alleyway in Seoul's night life district of Itaewon during Halloween festivities on Oct. 29, 2022. Bereaved families of the victims have criticized the game publisher for "lacking common sense" by using such footage and demanded a complete removal of the clip.

A screen capture from the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 game, which featured real footage of the Itaewon crowd crush that claimed the lives of 159 people on Oct. 29, 2022. (Yonhap)

fairydust@yna.co.kr (END)

Call of Duty publisher apologizes for using real footage of Itaewon crowd crush

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首尔，10月30日（韩联社）——《使命召唤》系列游戏的制作方周五就其最新作品中使用2022年首尔人群踩踏事件的真实画面道歉，并同意删除该画面。

在《使命召唤：现代战争4》的开场片段中，出现了一段医护人员对躺在街上的踩踏事件受害者进行心肺复苏的短片。这段视频被用来描绘虚构的朝鲜战争中平民伤亡的场景。

“我们向受害者及其家属，以及所有因此而感到担忧的人们，致以最深切的歉意，”动视出版公司在发给当地记者的声明中表示。“我们将在11月12日推出的更新中删除相关视频。”

发行商补充说，他们没有计划在游戏中使用新闻片段来唤起包括梨泰院人群踩踏事件在内的悲剧事件，也没有打算忽视事故造成的痛苦。

2022年10月29日万圣节期间，首尔夜生活区梨泰院一条狭窄的巷子里发生枪击案，造成159人死亡。遇难者家属批评游戏发行商使用此类视频“缺乏常识”，并要求彻底删除该视频片段。

这是《使命召唤：现代战争4》游戏的屏幕截图，其中包含2022年10月29日造成159人死亡的梨泰院人群踩踏事件的真实画面。（韩联社）

fairydust@yna.co.kr (完)

《使命召唤》发行商就使用梨泰院人群踩踏事件的真实视频素材道歉。