At least 149 killed in stampede during Halloween event in South Korea
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yol said on Sunday that Halloween celebrations should not have been a deadly stampede that killed at least 149 people and injured several others.
On Sunday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yol said a stampede at the Halloween event that killed at least 149 people and injured more "should not have happened".
"At the heart of Seoul, a tragedy and disaster happened that should not have happened," Yoon said in a national address, calling for a "thorough investigation" of the incident and ensuring it can never happen again.
An emergency meeting with senior aides was chaired by President Yoon Suk-yol, who ordered the formation of a task force to secure resources to treat the wounded and launch a thorough investigation into the causes of the disaster.
On Saturday night in the nightlife area of South Korea's capital Seoul, a large crowd celebrating Halloween turned up in the street, killing mostly young people in their 20s.
It was Seoul's first Halloween celebration in three years, after COVID restrictions and social distancing were lifted. Halloween costumes and masks were worn by many party-goers.
As evening wore on, some eyewitnesses said the crowd was becoming increasingly disorganized and agitated. The incident happened around 10:20 pm. (1320 GMT).
Many of the victims were women in their twenties.
Witnesses described disturbing scenes just before the stampede, with police, who were present in anticipation of the Halloween event, sometimes having difficulty controlling the crowd.
"It was at least 10 times more crowded than usual," Yeongsan Fire Station chief Choi Sung-beom told a briefing at the scene.
Footage shared on social media showed hundreds of people stranded and helpless in the narrow, sloping alleyway as emergency personnel and police tried to free them.
According to Choi, the fire chief of Yongsan district, all the deaths were caused by being crushed in a narrow street.
The chaotic behavior of dozens of people, who appeared unconscious by civilians and fire officials, was captured on additional footage.
Fire officials and eyewitnesses said people continued to pour into the narrow lane that was already wall-to-wall when people at the top of the sloping lane collapsed, causing those below them to fall on top of others. .
After experiencing a sharp drop in business during the three years of the pandemic, dozens of bars and restaurants in the Itaewon district were packed for Halloween on Saturday, drawing young South Koreans and alike.
Two foreigners are also among the dead and others have been admitted to nearby hospitals.
Officials said the condition of 19 of the injured is critical and they are being treated for emergency, which could raise the death toll.
