South Korea’s President Yoon Declares National Mourning after Halloween Event Leaves 151 Dead

South Korea (30/10/2022): On Saturday, Itaewon district in Seoul became the scene of a massive tragedy as Halloween crush took away the lives of 151 people.

In a packed nightlife area of Seoul, people had rushed to celebrate the first Halloween event in three years following Covid-19. The victims of the tragic incident were mostly teenagers and people in their 20s.

Officials say it was believed that people were crushed to death after a large crowd began pushing forward in a narrow alley near Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot in Seoul. At least 59 people were killed and 150 more were injured after being crushed by a large crowd pushing forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities in the capital of Seoul, South Korean officials said.

Choi Sung-beom, head of the Yongsan Fire Station, stated that 151 deaths had been confirmed out of which 19 were foreigners. 82 people were injured, 19 of them had grievous injuries.

According to witnesses, the crowd grew increasingly unruly with time. According to Moon Ju-Young, a 21 year old, “It was at least 10 times more crowded than the usual.”