Seoul Halloween crowd crush

2022 crowd crush in South Korea

The Seoul Halloween crowd crush occurred on 29 October 2022 (KST) at 10:15 pm. This happened in the district of Itaewon in the city of Seoul in South Korea. At least 156 people were killed. 152 others were injured.[1]

Seoul Halloween crowd crush
Halloween crowds in the alleyway across Itaewon Station
Map
Date29 October 2022 (2022-10-29)
Timec. 22:15  KST
LocationItaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates37°32′05″N 126°59′36″E / 37.53472°N 126.99333°E / 37.53472; 126.99333
TypeCrowd crush
CauseUnder investigation
Deaths156+
Non-fatal injuries152+

This is one of the worst tragedies since the sinking of MV Sewol in 2014. It is the most deadly mass-casualty event in Seoul since the Sampoong Department Store collapse in 1995.[2]

Background

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The Itaewon district is in Yongsan-gu in central Seoul. It is a famous location for nightclub gatherings, bars and restaurants. More than 100,000 people attended the festivals of the Seoul Halloween.[3][4]

At 10:15 pm, the crush occurred along an alleyway near Exit 1 of Itaewon station and the Hamilton Hotel. The police had trouble stopping the panic of the people while others called the emergency number of South Korea, 112. Officials said more than 81 calls were from people being trapped at the location. More than 83 ambulances arrived at the Itaewon road.[5]

References

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  1. "'He was curious about the world': Friends remember American student killed in Seoul Halloween disaster". 3 November 2022.
  2. "How Halloween revelry turned to disaster in South Korea". Reuters.
  3. "Commentary: What caused the Halloween crowd crush in South Korea".
  4. "Photos: Grieving S Korean parents bury Halloween crush victims".
  5. "Itaewon crush: The policeman who tried to stop Seoul's Halloween disaster". BBC News. 4 November 2022.