![]() After an outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 was traced back to the area, authorities had even threatened partygoers in 2021 with harsh penalties if they violated the rules. It was the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that Halloween festivities could be attended without social distancing or mask-wearing requirements. On the evening of 29 October, approximately 100,000 people, mostly in their teens and twenties, attended Halloween festivities in area. An expert in mass movement and spatial arrangement and behavior at Sejong University later said to The Washington Post, "If you just surveyed the site and discussed possible countermeasures, anyone with instinct and experience would have been able to foresee the situation." Conditions immediately before the crush Īuthorities had been concerned since at latest 2020 about the crowding issue, but did not act on these concerns. This incline later caused people to be pushed downward, with dozens of people falling onto others. The street slopes upwards from the main street of the district, Itaewon-ro. Its narrow width would later impede emergency services attempting to enter it. The street had an iron temporary wall that reduced its width. The street where the crush would occur is about 45 metres (150 ft) long and 3.2 metres (10 ft) wide at its narrowest point. Nearby are Exit 1 of Itaewon station and the Hamilton Hotel. The area immediately around the crush is characterized by very narrow streets and alleys without escape routes. Other important landmarks are labeled in English. The main location of the crush is indicated in red. īeginning around 2010, the celebration of Halloween experienced a surge in popularity in South Korea, and especially in Itaewon. Itaewon has been seen as a place to escape the pressures of South Korean society, which has long been influenced by strict Confucian hierarchies and pressures to conform. It now attracts both Koreans and tourists, when previously more than two-thirds of visitors to its restaurants and bars were Americans. In recent years, the Itaewon district has been a popular location for nightlife gatherings, with trendy nightclubs, restaurants, and bars. ![]() Twenty years after the 1950–1953 Korean War, Itaewon gentrified, and in 2013 the US military moved its base to southern Seoul. Due to the numerous bars and brothels that arose in the area catering towards the troops, many Koreans have since associated the district with controversy and danger. Its recent history is closely tied to the once nearby US military base Yongsan Garrison, which was established in 1945. Itaewon is a part of the Yongsan District of Seoul. See also: Itaewon § History, Geography of Halloween § South Korea, and COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea Itaewon food street (1 December 2022) President Yoon Suk Yeol and his administration faced a number of protests that demanded his resignation, although he did not resign.īackground History of the district Ī special police team conducted an investigation of the disaster within a few days of it occurring, and concluded on 13 January 2023 that the police and governments' failure to adequately prepare for the crowds, despite a number of ignored warnings, was the cause of the incident.įollowing the disaster and throughout the investigation, the government and police faced widespread criticism and protest. ![]() It is the deadliest crowd crush in the country's history, surpassing a 1959 incident at the Busan Municipal Stadium in which 67 people were crushed to death. The crowd crush is the deadliest disaster in South Korea since the sinking of MV Sewol in 2014 and the largest mass casualty event in Seoul since the Sampoong Department Store collapse in 1995. The victims were mostly young adults 27 of the victims were foreign nationals. The death toll includes two people who died after the crush. ![]() According to the South Korean government, 159 people were killed and 196 others were injured. on 29 October 2022, a crowd crush occurred during Halloween festivities in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea. Lack of safety precautions and other police errorsĪround 10:20 p.m.
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