several thousand people pay tribute to the 159 victims of the deadly stampede in Seoul in 2022

Thousands of people gathered in Seoul (South Korea) on Sunday, October 29, to mark the first anniversary of the deadly stampede that left 159 dead during Halloween festivities. On the evening of Saturday, October 29, 2022, tens of thousands of people, mostly aged between 20 and 30, came out to enjoy the celebrations in Itaewon, a cosmopolitan district of the capital. A crowd movement, in a narrow alley with no control over the flow of people, led to the death of 159 of them.

A year later, their loved ones are still demanding precise information on the circumstances of the tragedy. They also call for legal convictions and a review of procedures to prevent such a disaster from happening again. A police investigation revealed massive failures in the crowd management plan, as well as a botched and delayed response by emergency services. But she refrained from incriminating senior officials, and none of them were fired or resigned following the tragedy.

Around 10,000 people were expected at the commemoration on Sunday October 29, according to the victims’ families group. Guests included relatives of those killed, survivors, activists, as well as MPs and government officials. Although invited, President Yoon Suk-yeol did not attend the event, which his office described as “political rally” of the opposition, according to local media. However, he went to a religious service in a church in Seoul.