The death toll from the crash at a packed Halloween party on Saturday has risen to 156 with 151 injured, 29 of them seriously. At least 26 citizens from 14 countries were among the dead. Tens of thousands of revelers – many in their teens and twenties and dressed in costumes – crowded the narrow streets and alleys of the popular Itaewon district for the first nearly unlimited Halloween celebrations in three years. The country’s chief security officer, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, apologized on Tuesday, pledging to find out the cause of the incident and prevent similar incidents from happening again. “As the minister overseeing public safety, I sincerely apologize for the incident,” Lee said, adding that the government had “unlimited responsibility for the safety of our people,” as he addressed a live-streamed parliamentary session. He came under heavy public criticism after saying that deploying more police would not have prevented the disaster. National Police Chief Commissioner Yoon Hee-keun earlier on Tuesday acknowledged that crowd control at the scene was “inadequate”, noting that police had received multiple reports warning of possible accidents on the night of the disaster. “The police will quickly and strictly conduct intensive inspections and investigations of all aspects without exception to explain the truth of this accident,” Yun said at a press conference. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also said the ongoing investigation will cover whether the on-the-ground responses of government agencies were adequate. He pointed to institutional crowd management measures as the cause of the deadly explosion. President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a week of national mourning, saying the country had suffered too many security disasters. He said better responses were critical, including improved crowd control. “We should take concrete security measures to manage the crowd, not only on these roads where this huge disaster occurred but also in other places like stadiums and concert venues where large crowds gather,” he told a cabinet meeting. All the victims have been identified and memorial altars have been set up at Seoul City Hall and in the Itaewon area, where citizens have paid their respects. Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi and Hyonhee Shin. Jack Kim writes. Edited by Gerry Doyle Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
