At least 153 people were crushed to death when a crowd surged in a South Korean alleyway during Halloween celebrations, shocked family members gathered bodies, parents looked for missing children, and a nation sought explanations on Sunday (Oct. 30).
Emergency officials reported that at least 153 people, the majority in their 20s, were killed after a large group that was partying in Itaewon spilled into an alley. Some of the enthusiasts were still in their teens, and many were dressed in Halloween costumes, eager to enjoy the pubs, nightclubs, and eateries where the fun frequently spills onto the winding, often steep side streets.
Instead, as emergency personnel frantically attempted to remove trapped bodies and administer CPR to people sprawled over the debris-littered ground, the street grew congested with people pleading for assistance. There were 82 individuals hurt, 19 of them seriously injured, according to Choi Sung Beom, chief of the Yongsan Fire Station, who spoke during a briefing there. He said that 22 foreigners were among the deceased.
At community centers that had been converted into facilities for the missing, families and friends pleaded for news of their loved ones. At least 90% of the victims had been identified by noon, with some foreign nationals and youth without identification cards experiencing delays, according to the Interior Ministry.
People started placing flowers and notes at makeshift memorials that started to appear close to the scene. President Yoon sent his sympathies to the families of the deceased and his best wishes for a quick recovery to the many injured in one of South Korea's worst tragedies and the worst stampedes in history. In a statement, he declared the situation to be truly tragic and he promised to look into what caused the catastrophe. "A tragedy and disaster that should not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul last night," he said.
Curfews on pubs and restaurants and a cap of 10 individuals for private parties were abolished in April with the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Yoon conducted an emergency conference with senior advisers and ordered the formation of a task force to acquire resources for the treatment of the injured and launch a thorough inquiry into the cause of the accident.
The tragedy is the deadliest in the nation since a ferry sinking in 2014 that killed 304 people, mostly high school students. South Korea was shocked by the sinking of the Sewol and the backlash against the government's response, which sparked a national debate about safety measures that will undoubtedly be rekindled in the wake of Saturday's crush.
