TheItaewon Halloween tragedysent shockwaves through South Korea and the world in October 2022 , turning a nighttime of joy into a devastating calamity .
one thousand of young the great unwashed gain in Itaewon , a vivacious district in fundamental Seoul , to celebrate Halloween . However , the massive crowd — combine with the area ’s narrow street and insufficient crew ascendancy measures — make a deadly office .
As the night progressed , crowd together density reached dangerous floor , lead to a fateful crowd crush that left more than 150 hoi polloi dead and many others injure . The incident not only highlighted lapses in crowd safety but also raised inquiry about how such a cataclysm could happen in a metropolis as advance as Seoul .
How the Halloween Crowd Crush Happened
The Itaewon Halloween disaster stretch on the eve of Oct. 29 , 2022 , during Halloween solemnisation in one of Seoul ’s busy nightlife districts .
A monolithic crowd , judge to be in the 10 of grand , filled the narrow streets of Itaewon . The domain ’s infrastructure could n’t care such a large number of people , and the lack of organized gang dominance apace step up into bedlam .
As the crowd density intensified , people became trap with no leakage . The position corkscrew out of ascendence , and the crowd calf love resulted in widespread panic and suffocation .
Emergency prole arrived at the prospect , but the overwhelming telephone number of casualty made rescue efforts dispute . The local constabulary post and Yongsan Police Station were criticized for their delay response and inadequate preparation .
The Aftermath
The Itaewon crowd crush left an unerasable sucker on South Korea , particularly among young people . Families mourned the red of loved single , and the tragedy sparked countrywide brokenheartedness and outrage . The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the South Korean government face intense scrutiny , with calls for accountability from the world and the media .
Legal proceedings follow , with the Seoul Western District Court analyze the role of local self-confidence and result organizers . Kim Kwang - ho , the Seoul police chief , faced charges , but a Seoul court acquitted him in 2024 . In reply , the phratry of the victims asked prosecutors to appeal the determination .
" The royal court missed an opportunity to reflect on the gravitation of the obligation of public officials to protect the lives and safety of the populace , and to cue state leaders and members of bon ton of this,“the families said . " The prosecution ’s weak investigation and the court ’s peaceful interpretation of the law have detain the penalty of those responsible for the catastrophe and offend the rights of victims once again . "
The incident also led to far-flung discussions about crew denseness and the grandness of right provision for large - scale outcome . Memorials were established in Itaewon to honor the victims , serving as a sober monitor of the life lose .
Insufficient Preventative Measures
In the wake of the Itaewon Halloween cataclysm , the families believe the government has done little to prevent a future catastrophe , according toThe New York Times .
In 2023 , the parallel bars in Itaewon did n’t promote any Halloween - themed event . Local authorities devise for a possible influx of the great unwashed , include changing the tile in one area to make it less slippery and using artificial intelligence engineering to keep an eye on hub .
But the family believe that these caution do n’t serve the underlie issues . " The whole political science was united in prove to push this case under the surface , " said Lee Jeong - min ( who lost a daughter in Itaewon ) to the NYT . " One thing we larn in the preceding year is that no safety system matters unless you have a government with a mother wit of duty . "
By 2024 , the government also place up an brisk system of rules , which weigh the number of people in an sphere and alert police force if an region becomes overcrowded .
We created this article in concurrence with AI engineering , then made sure it was fact - crack and edit by a HowStuffWorks editor in chief .
