Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Wednesday the government will consider cutting national health insurance fees for the bereaved families of Itaewon crowd crush victims and those who were injured in the tragedy.

"Until all the difficulties of the bereaved families are resolved, we will carefully support them," Han told a response meeting.

The Oct. 29 tragedy killed at least 158 people and injured 196 others as huge crowds of people flocked to Seoul's Itaewon to celebrate Halloween. No crowd control was put in place at that time.

The government has begun operations at a "one-stop" support center where families of victims and others affected by the crowd crush can continue to receive medical and other assistance.

Han said the government will increase operation hours of the support center.

In the face of growing concerns about the winter wave of COVID-19, Han urged people to get updated booster shots.

"The number of confirmed cases has been on the rise for the fifth week in a row as the COVID-19 winter epidemic has begun," Han told the meeting.

The government will begin encouraging people to get COVID-19 vaccines Monday for the next four weeks, Han said. (Yonhap)