October 29, 2022 marks one of South Korea’s worst peacetime disasters since the sinking of a Sewol ferry in 2014. In the bustling neighborhood of Itaewon in Seoul, Korea, 156 people have died and almost 200 have been injured in the crowd crush.
Halloween is celebrated among young people through barhopping and clubbing in Itaewon. The nightlife is accessible through a 13-foot alleyway, often used as a place for friends to meet up and party.
Hours prior to the destruction, reports were made of the crowds growing, where calls were coming in, each more urgent than the one before.
Reports were calling the crowd a “madhouse,” saying it “needs to be controlled somehow,” and “it’s not a prank call, I beg you.” Once night time hit, a caller expressed the worry that “somebody is going to die.”
When authorities appeared at the scene many were already unconscious. American doctor, Sophia Akhiyat, was on the sidelines to help by doing CPR and containing the chaoticness.
Fire authorities reported that dozens of people were suffering from cardiac arrest. The roads were crowded with citizens panicking and officers rushing to help.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered hospitals to prepare medical beds. The streets were lined with body bags. At the same time, reports of people missing were rolling in.
The panic that surrounded that night quickly turned into devastation and a need for accountability. The national police chief announced a special investigation and ensured a situation like this won’t happen again.
The investigation would focus on why there were only four dispatches despite the countless calls that were made. The police chief for the district of Itaewon has been suspended and replaced, but the investigation still continues.
Family members of the victims aren’t staying silent through this investigation and are fighting for justice to be served.
