At least 153 people, many of them teenagers, are killed in a crowd in a popular Seoul nightlife area. The Interior Minister rejects allegations against the authorities.
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Thomas Hahn, Tokyo
After the deadly Itaewon crush, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol did what he could. He called an emergency meeting that same night. He ordered his officials to quickly dispatch a medical assistance team to the scene of the disaster in Seoul’s entertainment district. He himself inspected the alley where, late on Saturday night, thousands of Halloween revelers had crowded until stampede broke out and many were literally crushed. Addressing the nation, he said, “It’s hard for me to deal with my grief.” And he ordered a period of national mourning.