Halloweekend has ended. While many may have had a memorable time, others have not. South Koreans at one the largest Halloween events in Itaewon experienced a tragedy leaving at least 151 dead last Saturday. Follow Jeongeun Jennifer Kim for more.
WHILE MANY NORTHWESTERN STUDENTS HAVE ENJOYED HALLOWEEKEND AS IT COMES TO A CLOSE, SOUTH KOREA EXPERIENCED A BIG TRAGEDY AT ONE OF THE LARGEST HALLOWEEN EVENTS IN SEOUL.
ONCE SHUNNED AS A RED DISTRICT AND MEETUP SPACE FOR MINORITIES, SPECIFICALLY THE MUSLIM AND LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, ITAEWON IS NOW ONE OF THE MOST TRENDY AND CROWDED PARTY VENUES TODAY.
HOWEVER, STRICT COVID REGULATIONS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR KOREANS TO HOST HALLOWEEN PARTIES FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME THE COUNTRY LIFTED THESE RESTRICTIONS. OFFICE WORKER KIM JIWON TOLD WASHINGTON POST THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A KEY REASON FOR THE CHAOS.
[Jiwon] Mask restrictions were lifted, so there were more people which made the situation uncontrollable. I personally think it was a man-made catastrophe.
THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000 PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE INCIDENT LEFT AT LEAST 151 PEOPLE DEAD. BUT AS THE INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE, THE NUMBERS KEEP RISING.
THE MAJORITY OF THE CROWD WERE TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS, INCLUDING THE DECEASED – AT LEAST 19 OF WHICH WERE FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM IRAN, NORWAY, CHINA, THAILAND, AND UZBEKISTAN. WITNESS NATHAN TAVERNITI BROKE OUT IN TEARS DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH CNN.
[Nathan] And I turned around and told people, “you can’t come this way.” People are dying.
APPROXIMATELY TEN BODIES WERE UNIDENTIFIABLE BECAUSE SOME WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 17, AND TOO YOUNG TO CARRY A NATIONAL ID CARD, AND OTHERS WERE FOREIGNERS.
REPORTS SAY THE PARTYGOERS WERE TOO TIGHTLY PACKED TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE PUSHING FROM ALL DIRECTIONS. WITNESS SEHYUN SONG DESCRIBED THE SITUATION TO CNN.
[Sehyun] I saw people going to the left side, and I actually saw the people going at the opposite side. So the person in the middle, they got jammed. They have no way to communicate and they cannot breathe.
MANY OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE EVENT ARE STILL MISSING. BY SUNDAY 2PM SEOUL TIME, THE CITY GOVERNMENT SAID THERE WERE OVER 3,500 MISSING PERSONS REPORTS.
SOCIAL MEDIA FOOTAGE FURTHER SHOW PEOPLE PERFORMING CPR ON THE UNCONSCIOUS AND AUTHORITIES CLAIM THAT MOST CAUSES OF DEATH WERE CARDIAC ARREST.
WITNESS JANELLE STORY TOLD ABC NEWS THAT THE SCENE WAS A COMPLETELY NEW ENCOUNTER FOR HER – AN UNPLEASANT ONE TOO.
[Janelle] I just saw in front of me this mass of people like running and pushing and moving fast and screaming and panicking. I think we were so shocked, because I usually feel so safe here. All I can think right now is the shock of it.
THE COUNTRY CONTINUES TO SEARCH FOR THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT AS IT REMAINS UNKNOWN. THE CHIEF OF THE YONGAN-GU FIRE DEPARTMENT CHOI SEONG BUM SAID IT WAS A “PRESUMED STAMPEDE.”
IN RESPONSE, OFFICIALS DISPATCHED MORE THAN 1,700 EMERGENCY FORCES ON SATURDAY. SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON SUK-YEOL EXPRESSED HIS GRIEVANCES.
[Suk-yeol] I’m devastated. At a Halloween event located in the center of Seoul, a tragedy that should not have happened, happened.
PRESIDENT YOON ALSO RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO PREVENT SUCH TRAGEDIES FROM REPEATING AGAIN AND HAS RELEASED PLANS TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER.
FOR NOW, THE WNUR TEAM SENDS CONDOLENCES TO THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS FROM AFAR.
THIS IS JEONGEUN JENNIFER KIM SIGNING OFF FROM WNUR NEWS.
