After the stampede that killed more than 150 people in the South Korean capital Seoul, investigations into the catastrophe are in full swing. Prime Minister Han Duck Soo announced a thorough investigation on Monday.
The government wants to find out the cause of Saturday night’s accident and take the necessary measures to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again, he said at a meeting at the central disaster management headquarters. According to the police, they began interviewing eyewitnesses and evaluating surveillance cameras at the scene of the accident and videos on social media.
An extreme crowd in a narrow alley
The disaster caused a wave of sadness and horror in the country. It also raised questions about the role of the authorities and security measures. The accident in the metropolis of millions happened when tens of thousands of people crowded together in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon for unorganized Halloween celebrations. In the extreme crowds in a narrow and sloping side street, numerous people were trapped, according to eyewitnesses and information from the rescue workers. Many fell to the ground, suffocated, were crushed or kicked to death.
Premier Han called on people to refrain from malicious comments and not to spread false information and disturbing images. “On the internet and on social media, some users post hateful comments about the victims or distribute images and unconfirmed information about the sudden mass rush.”
Could the authorities have done more?
Some South Korean media criticized Monday that the authorities were obviously not adequately prepared for the onslaught of such large crowds and the possible consequences for security. Interior Minister Lee Sang Min said on Saturday that even if more police and firefighters had been sent to the area, the accident could probably not have been avoided.
Together with forensic experts, police investigators examined the scene of the accident on Monday. The police have formed a special team of 475 people to investigate, said Nam Gu Jun, chief investigator of the National Police Department.
sympathy from all over the world
According to the Ministry of the Interior, at least 154 mostly young people died in the mass accident. Among them were six teenage students. All but one dead were identified. According to updated figures from Monday, 149 people were also injured, more than 30 of them seriously. Among the fatalities were 26 foreigners from different countries.
Shortly after the disaster, President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that there would be detailed investigations. He also announced a multi-day nationwide mourning period until Saturday. On Monday he visited a memorial altar for the victims of the accident in downtown Seoul. Near the scene of the accident, people laid flowers or lit candles to express their sadness.
It was the worst disaster in South Korea since the Sewol ferry sank off the country’s coast in 2014, when 304 people died. Heads of government and heads of state from all over the world expressed their condolences, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is visiting Japan and South Korea in the next few days. In a letter of condolence to the South Korean President published on Twitter, British King Charles wrote that his sympathy and that of his wife Camilla went to the grieving families of the victims.
Tweet König Charles III.
