Located in Seoul, South Korea — Sunday, South Korea grieved the loss of more than 150 people, largely in their teens and twenties, who were trapped and crushed as a large Halloween party throng crowded into a tight alley in Seoul’s nightlife zone. Concerned relatives hurried to hospitals in search of their loved ones.
According to eyewitnesses, the crowd rush in the Itaewon neighborhood on Saturday night resulted in “hellish” turmoil, with people falling on one other “like dominoes.” Witnesses reported that some individuals were bleeding from their noses and mouths while receiving CPR, while others in Halloween costumes continued to sing and dance nearby, apparently unaware of the severity of the situation.
“I cannot believe what has occurred. It resembled hell “Kim Mi Sung, a representative of a non-profit group that promotes tourism in Itaewon, stated as much.
She administered CPR on ten unconscious individuals, nine of whom were pronounced dead at the scene. Kim stated that the 10 were predominantly ladies dressed in witch costumes and other Halloween attire.
The population explosion is the country’s worst catastrophe in years. As of Sunday evening, 153 people had died and 133 had been injured, according to officials. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety stated that the number of fatalities could climb as 37 of the injured were in critical condition.
97 of the deceased were female, while 56 were male. Over eighty percent of the deceased are in their twenties and thirties, while at least four were teenagers.
At least twenty of the deceased are foreigners from China, Russia, Iran, and other nations. Two Americans were among the deceased, according to the U.S. State Department. President Biden tweeted that he and first lady Jill Biden are traveling together “Devastated to learn that at least two Americans are among the countless Seoul victims. In this moment of sorrow, our hearts go out to their loved ones, and we continue to pray for the healing of all those who were hurt.”
A man pays tribute near the scene of the stampede during Halloween festivities on October 30, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. KIM HONG-JI / REUTERS
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Itaewon has hosted the country’s largest outdoor Halloween celebrations, with an estimated 100,000 people in attendance. In recent months, the South Korean government loosened COVID-19 regulations.
Even while Halloween is not a traditional holiday in South Korea, where children rarely go trick-or-treating, it remains a major attraction for young adults, and costume parties at bars and clubs have become incredibly popular in recent years.
Itaewon, located near where the previous headquarters of U.S. military troops in South Korea operated before moving out of the capital in 2018, is an expat-friendly neighborhood noted for its fashionable pubs, clubs, and restaurants, as well as being the city’s premier Halloween attraction.
On Sunday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a one-week period of national mourning and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at all government buildings and public agencies. During a televised address, Yoon stated that the families of the victims, including funeral arrangements, and the treatment of the injured will be his government’s primary priority.
In addition, he demanded an exhaustive investigation into the accident’s cause and a review of the safety of other significant cultural and entertainment events to assure their safe execution.
“This is quite tragic. The avoidable tragedy and catastrophe occurred in the heart of Seoul during Halloween (celebrations) “Yoon stated in his speech. As a president responsible for the lives and safety of the people, I am overcome with grief and unable to conceal my sorrow.
Yoon visited the Itaewon alley where the disaster occurred after his address. Yoon was captured on local television inspecting a trash-filled alley and being briefed by emergency personnel.
It was not immediately apparent what prompted the mob to rush into the confined downhill alley close to the Hamilton Hotel, a renowned Seoul party venue. After being pushed by others, according to one survivor, numerous people tumbled and crashed over “like dominoes.” According to the Seoul-based Hankyoreh newspaper, a survivor called Kim stated that they were stuck for nearly an hour and a half before being rescued, during which time some people yelled “Help me!” while others were out of breath.
On Sunday, October 30, 2022, police officers stand watch behind cordons in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea. SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg accessed through Getty Images
The newspaper reports that another survivor, Lee Chang-kyu, witnessed five or six men pushing others before one or two began to fall.
Hwang Min-hyeok, a tourist to Itaewon, stated in an interview with the news channel YTN that it was distressing to witness rows of bodies near the hotel. According to him, emergency personnel were initially swamped, leaving pedestrians to administer CPR to the injured who were laying in the street. He stated that people wept beside the bodies of their pals.
Yonhap news agency claimed that another survivor in his twenties avoided being crushed by entering a pub whose door was open in the alley. A woman in her twenties with the surname Park told Yonhap that she and others were standing on the side of the alley while those in the alley’s center were unable to escape.
Choi, chief of the fire department, stated the remains were being transported to hospitals or a gym so that mourning relatives could identify them. According to him, the majority of the deceased and injured are in their twenties.
“Tonight, terrible news from Seoul,” tweeted British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. During this extremely troubling moment, we are thinking of all South Koreans and those presently reacting to the crisis.
The U.S. national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, tweeted that reports of the accident were “heartbreaking” and that the United States “stands ready to help the Republic of Korea with any assistance it requires.”
The previous calamity of similar magnitude in South Korea had the greatest impact on young people. In April 2014, 304 persons, the most of whom were high school students, perished in a ferry disaster. The sinking revealed inadequate safety regulations and regulatory shortcomings. It was partially attributable to heavy and improperly secured goods and an unprepared crew for emergency scenarios. The public will undoubtedly scrutinize what government authorities have done to strengthen public safety standards since the ferry catastrophe in light of the deaths on Saturday.
It was also the second huge crushing catastrophe in Asia within a month. On October 1st, police in Indonesia shot tear gas during a soccer game, resulting in the deaths of 132 fans as they rushed to flee.
More than 1,700 reaction people from across the nation were dispatched to the streets to assist the injured. Approximately 520 firefighters, 1,100 police officers, and 70 government employees were among the responders. Separately, the National Fire Agency stated that officials were still attempting to determine the precise number of emergency patients.
This was the greatest crushing catastrophe in the history of South Korea. In 2005, eleven people were killed and over sixty more were injured at a pop event in the city of Sangju in the south.
In 1960, 31 people died after being crushed on the stairs of a train station during the Lunar New Year festivities as enormous crowds tried to board a train.
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