© Reuters. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol walks on the scene the place many individuals died and have been injured in a stampede throughout a Halloween pageant in Seoul, South Korea, October 30, 2022. REUTERS/ Heo Ran
By Soo-hyang Choi
SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea moved to calm public outrage on Tuesday over a Halloween get together crush that killed greater than 150 individuals, most of them younger, promising a speedy and intensive inquiry and calling for robust new security measures to forestall comparable disasters.
The dying toll from the crush at a crowded Halloween road get together on Saturday climbed to 156 with 151 injured, 29 of whom have been in critical situation. A minimum of 26 residents from 14 nations have been among the many lifeless.
Tens of 1000’s of revellers – many of their teenagers and twenties and wearing costume – had crowded into slim streets and alleyways of the favored Itaewon district for the primary just about unrestricted Halloween festivities in three years.
Nationwide Police Commissioner Basic Yoon Hee-keun mentioned that crowd management on the scene was “insufficient”. The nation’s chief safety officer, Inside Minister Lee Sang-min, had mentioned deploying extra police wouldn’t have prevented the catastrophe.
“I really feel limitless accountability about public security over this accident and I’ll do my greatest to verify such a tragedy as this doesn’t happen once more,” Yoon instructed a information convention.
“The police will speedily and rigorously conduct intensive inspections and investigation on all features with out exception to clarify the reality of this accident,” Yoon added.
President Yoon Suk-yeol has declared every week of nationwide mourning, saying the nation had too many security disasters. He mentioned higher responses was essential, together with improved crowd management.
“We should always provide you with concrete security measures to handle crowds, not solely on these streets the place this huge catastrophe occurred however at different locations like stadiums and live performance venues the place giant crowds collect,” he mentioned at a cupboard assembly.
All of the victims have been recognized and memorial altars have been arrange on the Seoul metropolis corridor and within the Itaewon district, the place residents paid their respects.
Lee has come below sharp public criticism for his feedback concerning the position of police. On social media, some Koreans mentioned precautions have been insufficient for an occasion that had been anticipated to attract giant crowds.
