South Korea's Yoon declares mourning period after Halloween stampede in Seoul kills 153: What we know so far

TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Oct 30, 2022, 23:17 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

ARTICLES

South Korea's Yoon declares mourning period after Halloween stampede in Seoul kills 153: What we know so far
Burberry, Balenciaga & B-Town's best friend - Orry, makes his sartorial presence felt at London & Paris Fashion Week, 2022
Cyclone Sitrang kills 35 in Bangladesh: Officials
Sri Lanka passes constitutional amendment aimed at trimming presidential powers

South Korea: At least 146 killed, over 150 injured in Halloween stampede in Seoul

NEW DELHI: At least 153 people were killed and scores injured after being crushed by a large crowd pushing forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities in South Korea's capital, Seoul, on Saturday night.
The incident happened at around 10:00 pm (1300 GMT) and that the death toll could grow, authorities have said.
Here's what we know so far:

A mass of mostly young people among tens of thousands who gathered to celebrate Halloween in Seoul became trapped and crushed as the crowd surged into a narrow alley, killing at least 153 people and injuring 82 others in South Korea.
Victims in their 20s accounted for the age group most affected by the accident, reports Yonhap news agency citing the authorities.
Choi Seong-beom, the head of the fire department in Yongsan, said the death toll from Saturday's accident rose to 151, which included 19 foreigners. Their nationalities include those from Iran, Uzbekistan, China and Norway, Choi added.
Of the dead, 97 were female and 54 were male, said Choi Seong-beom, head of the fire department in Yongsan confirmed.
Social media footage showed several people being assisted by rescue officials and private citizens at the scene, and numerous ones performing CPR on people lying in poor condition on the streets.
South Korea's President Yoon declares national mourning period over stampede. He also expressed condolences to the victims, mostly teenagers and people in their 20s, and his wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured. “This is really devastating. The tragedy and disaster that need not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul amid Halloween (celebrations). "I feel heavy hearted and cannot contain my sadness as a president responsible for the people’s lives and safety.”
In Washington, Seoul's staunch ally, US President Joe Biden said America "stands with" South Korea after the tragedy.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the horrific Seoul Halloween stampede and said India stands in solidarity with South Korea during this difficult time. "Deeply shocked at the loss of so many young lives due to the stampede in Seoul. Our condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones. We stand in solidarity with the Republic of Korea during this difficult time," he said on Twitter.
"I'm hugely shocked and deeply saddened by the extremely tragic accident in Itaewon, Seoul, that took many precious lives, including those of young people with their future ahead of them," Japan PM Fumio Kishida also tweeted.
South Korea's president Yoon Suk-yeol has ordered the dispatch of emergency medical team, and disaster response team to the area and said hospital beds should be prepared to minimise casualties.
More than 400 emergency workers from around the nation, including practically all available personnel in Seoul, have been deployed to the streets to treat the injured.
Local media said around 1,00,000 people flocked to Itaewon streets for Halloween festivities after hearing an unidentified celebrity visited there. The festivities were the biggest in years following the easing of Covid restrictions in recent months.
Itaewon, near where the former headquarters of US military forces in South Korea operated before moving out of the capital in 2018, is an expat-friendly district known for its trendy bars, clubs and restaurants and it's the city's marquee Halloween destination.