Seoul Stampede: South Korea Declares National Mourning
- 30-Oct-2022
- 0 Comments
Seol: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol announced a period of national mourning and ordered the lowering of flags over a deadly Seoul stampede during Halloween celebrations that killed at least 151 people, including 19 foreigners.
He said, ‘As president, who is responsible for the people’s lives and safety, my heart is heavy and I struggle to cope with my grief,’ he said adding, ‘the government will designate the period from today until the accident is brought under control as a period of national mourning and will place top priority in administrative affairs in recovery and follow-up measures.’
At least 151 people, mostly teenagers and young adults in their 20s, were killed in a crush when a huge crowd celebrating Halloween surged into an alley in a nightlife area of the South Korean capital Seoul on Saturday night.
A further 65 people were injured in the melee in Seoul's Itaewon district, Choi Sung-beom, head of the Yongsan Fire Station, said in a briefing at the scene.
It was the first Halloween event in Seoul in three years after the country lifted COVID restrictions and social distancing. Many of the partygoers were wearing masks and Halloween costumes.
