The winding streets of Itaewon, the neon-lit nightlife district in Seoul, South Korea, are packed with revelers and tourists most weekends. One of the deadliest calamities to hit the nation has now occurred there.
Tens of thousands of people descended on the location in central Seoul on Saturday night to celebrate Halloween, but as the numbers grew, panic broke out, with some witnesses reporting that it became difficult to breathe and impossible to move.
Up until Sunday, there had been 154 fatalities and hundreds more injuries. As families throughout the nation grieve and look for missing loved ones, authorities have now opened an urgent investigation to determine how what was supposed to be a night of celebration went so brutally wrong. Here is what we currently know.
On October 31, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk and his wife Kim Kun-hee placed flowers on an altar in memory of the victims in Seoul. At a memorial, a woman pays her respects. Rescue workers are at the scene where several were hurt when there was a crowd surge during a Halloween festival in Seoul, South Korea. One of the biggest calamities to ever hit South Korea will be thoroughly investigated, according to President Yoon Suk Yeol.
An excellent visual explanation by the @Guardian of what happened in Korea. See this chart in particular: a change from aproximately 4 to 6 individuals per square meter changes us from behaving like people to behaving like fluidshttps://t.co/rVueWlDaCT pic.twitter.com/ipnr9vgvuC
— Luis Garicano 🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@lugaricano) October 31, 2022
Rescue workers are at the scene where several were hurt when there was a crowd surge during a Halloween festival in Seoul, South Korea. One of the biggest calamities to ever hit South Korea will be thoroughly investigated, according to President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Outside the Itaewon metro station, a woman responds. In the Seoul neighborhood of Itaewon, a casualty is being carried on a stretcher. Following the mass surge, observers observe the situation. In the well-known nightlife zone of Itaewon, where numerous persons experienced cardiac arrest, onlookers, police, and paramedics congregate.
In Seoul, a woman holds the hand of someone who was harmed by the stampede. Near the location of the crush, a woman uses her phone. Oh Se-hoon, the mayor of Seoul, stops by the area where the mob gathered. Firefighters and rescue personnel help people.
Following the mass surge, people console one another. Members of the rescue team wait at the scene with stretchers to collect bodies. Following the crowd rush, victims’ belongings are visible. Families of missing people gather at the Hannam-dong Community Center in Seoul to await news.
As we mourn those who tragically lost their lives in the South Korea Halloween crowd surge, please remember to be safe this evening or when attending events or festivities in any crowded area. https://t.co/UopleosRR1
— John C. Liu (@LiuNewYork) October 31, 2022
People listen to President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea speak live to the country about the tragic crowd surge on Saturday. A police officer patrols the area of the crowd surge while people watch. In honor of those who perished in Seoul’s stampede, a man strolls beside flowers down the street.
At a Seoul community service center, families of the missing sob. Following the fatal accident in Seoul, flowers can be seen. A tribute is paid by a visitor close to the location of the crowd swell during Halloween celebrations in Seoul.
“As the names of those killed in Saturday’s crowd crush in Itaewon trickle out and residents pay their respects at mourning altars dedicated to the victims, South Korea’s collective trauma is only just beginning.” https://t.co/p4P0JQrYR9
— Annabelle Timsit (@BelleTimsit) October 31, 2022
On October 31, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk and his wife Kim Kun-hee placed flowers on an altar in memory of the victims in Seoul. At a memorial, a woman pays her respects. Rescue workers are at the scene where several were hurt when there was a crowd surge during a Halloween festival in Seoul, South Korea. One of the biggest calamities to ever hit South Korea will be thoroughly investigated, according to President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Why Were There Such Large Crowds?
Halloween has long been a popular event in Itaewon, especially in recent years when the holiday gained popularity in Asia. For the festivities, some people even fly into Seoul from other nearby nations. However, because of pandemic limits on crowd numbers and mask requirements, celebrations have been subdued for the past two years.
The Victims Were Who?
According to officials, the victims were largely young adults in their teens and early 20s. Itaewon is well-liked by foreign students and backpackers and is well-known for its nightlife and hip restaurants. At least 26 foreign nationals were among the 154 dead, according to the authorities, with fatalities hailing from the United States, China, Iran, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Norway, France, Russia, Austria, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan among others.
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