President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to establish a safe country during a memorial service at Youngahm Church in Seoul on the first anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush that claimed 159 lives.

Speaking during the church service organized at his request on Sunday, Yoon prayed for the victims to rest in peace and offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved families, describing the day of the tragedy as “one of the most sorrowful moments" of his life.

The president touched on the responsibility to build a better world in order to ensure that the victims’ deaths will not have been in vain, adding that the government has made efforts to improve safety and vowing to continue pursuing that goal.

Earlier, the bereaved families and civic groups invited the president to attend a memorial service at Seoul Plaza in central Seoul, but the presidential office reportedly declined the request and instead asked the church to arrange a separate service.

Yoon was accompanied at the church by high-ranking officials from the government and the presidential office.

Regarding the lack of expressions of apology for the tragedy in the president’s speech, the top office said that Yoon offered an apology more than four times and has made efforts to console the bereaved families.