South Korea in mourning after deadly Itaewon crowd crush in Seoul

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South Korea was in mourning on Monday after more than 150 people, mostly young adults, died when a huge Halloween party crowd surged into a narrow alley in a nightlife district in Seoul.

It remained unclear what led the crowd to surge into the downhill alley in the Itaewon area on Saturday night, and authorities promised a thorough investigation. Witnesses said people fell on each other “like dominoes,” and some victims were bleeding from their noses and mouths while being given CPR.

On Monday morning, people laid white chrysanthemums, drinks and candles at a small makeshift altar off an exit of the Itaewon subway station, a few steps away from the site of the crush. Another memorial for the victims was set up at Seoul City Hall Plaza.

“It doesn’t matter how they died, or why they died. Those poor people, all at similar ages to my grandchildren, they died anyway,” said Jung Si-hoon, a retiree and a church elder, who placed an old wooden cross at the makeshift altar.

“What more should we say? We should pray for them and wish they rest in peace.”

Shops and cafes nearby were closed and police cordoned off the site of the incident, which was strewn with rubbish.

Schools, kindergartens and companies around the country scrapped planned Halloween events. K-pop concerts and government briefings were also cancelled.

South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo promised an investigation into the disaster.

“Identification has been completed for all of the 154 deceased except one, and I believe it is time for follow-up measures such as funeral procedures to be carried out in earnest,” Han said. “We will do our best to provide necessary support by reflecting the opinions of the bereaved families as much as possible.”

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has declared a period of national mourning and designated Itaewon a disaster zone, visited a memorial altar near the city hall and paid his respects to victims on Monday, his office said.

Nearly two-thirds of those killed – 97 – were women, and 133 people were injured. More than 80% of the dead were in their 20s and 30s, and at least four were teenagers.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said the death count could further rise as 37 of the injured people were in serious condition.

Witnesses said many people appeared not to realise the disaster that was unfolding steps away from them. Some clad in Halloween costumes continued to sing and dance nearby as others lay lifeless on the ground.

Ken Fallas, a Costa Rican architect who went to Itaewon with expat friends, used his smartphone to film video showing unconscious people being carried out from the alley as others shouted for help. He said the loud music made things more chaotic.

“When we just started to move forward, there was no way to go back,” Fallas said. “We didn’t hear anything because the music was really loud. Now, I think that was one of the main things that made this so complicated.”

Authorities said thousands of people have called or visited a nearby city office, reporting missing relatives and asking officials to confirm whether they were among those injured or dead after the crush.

The bodies of the dead were being kept at 42 hospitals in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province, according to Seoul City, which said it will instruct crematories to burn more bodies each day as part of plans to support funeral proceedings.

An estimated 100,000 people had gathered in Itaewon for the country’s biggest outdoor Halloween festivities since the pandemic began. The South Korean government had eased Covid-19 restrictions in recent months.

While Halloween isn’t a traditional holiday in South Korea – where children rarely go trick-or-treating – it’s still a major attraction for young adults, and costume parties at bars and clubs have become hugely popular in recent years.

Seoul’s marquee Halloween destination is Itaewon. The expat-friendly district is known for its trendy bars, clubs and restaurants.

Witnesses said the streets were so densely clogged with people and slow-moving vehicles that it was practically impossible for emergency workers and ambulances to swiftly reach the alley near Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot in Seoul.

During a televised speech, Yoon said supporting the families of the victims, including their funeral preparations, and the treatment of the injured would be a top priority for his government. He also called for officials to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and review the safety of other large cultural and entertainment events.

“This is really devastating. The tragedy and disaster that need not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul amid Halloween (celebrations),” Yoon said during the speech. “I feel heavy hearted and cannot contain my sadness as a president responsible for the people’s lives and safety.”

After the speech, Yoon visited the alley where the disaster occurred. Local TV footage showed him inspecting the alley and being briefed by emergency officials.

World leaders offered condolences, including Pope Francis.

Among the 20 foreigners who died are four from China; three from Russia; two from Iran; and one each from Vietnam, Australia, Austria, Norway, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and the United States, the interior ministry said. It added the nationalities of the four other foreigners have not been confirmed.

Some local media said the tally of foreign dead rose to 26. France and Thailand each said one, and Japan said two, of their nationals had also died during the Itaewon disaster, but the South Korean interior ministry couldn’t immediately confirm the reports.

The crowd surge was South Korea’s deadliest disaster since 2014, when 304 people, mostly high school students, died in a ferry sinking.

The sinking exposed lax safety rules and regulatory failures. It was partially blamed on excessive and poorly fastened cargo and a crew poorly trained for emergency situations. Saturday’s deaths will probably draw public scrutiny of what government officials have done to improve public safety standards since the ferry disaster.

With Associated Press and Agence France-Presse