Itaewon tragedy could have been prevented, police reaction inadequate

The death toll from the truly horrible Halloween party in Seoul has risen to 156. According to the South Korean government, 151 people were injured, 29 of whom are hospitalized with serious injuries. Police admitted Tuesday that mistakes had been made.

In the South Korean capital Seoul on Saturday, an estimated 100,000 celebrants gathered to celebrate Halloween. It turned out to be a much too large group of people for a much too small entertainment area. The oppression that arose as a result became fatal for dozens of visitors.

Relatives and people who survived the drama are furious and demand clarification on how this could happen. The South Korean government is working with a 475-strong team to investigate the disaster. They watch camera footage and speak with eyewitnesses.

Ahead of the investigation’s findings, National Police Chief Yoon Hee-keun admitted that police surveillance of the crowd was “inadequate.” “I feel fully responsible for public safety in this accident,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday morning. “I will do my best to ensure that a tragedy like this does not happen again.”

According to the chief of the police, many concerned citizens called the authorities to notify them of the possible danger. According to Yoon, officers did not react quickly and well enough.

In the entertainment district of Itaewon, several Halloween parties take place on Saturday. Since there was no central organization, local authorities were not obliged to take large-scale security measures. South Korean security experts say the incident could have been prevented.

“The fact that events like Saturday’s are not seen as a festival does not mean that we should act differently in the event of a disaster,” said Korean disaster protection Professor Paek Seung-joo.

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