Nearly 160 people crushed to death in the alleys of Itaewon. On Sunday 29 October, exactly one year will have passed since the gigantic tragedy in Seoul during the Halloween holiday. It was supposed to be the night of rebirth after the Covid years, it was the night of the massacre. A year later, the grieving families are still demanding an independent investigation and full compensation from the South Korean authorities, who are currently trying to avoid new risks with the arrival of the holiday which has become extremely popular over time.
No gatherings were banned in Itaewon during the Halloween holiday this year, although authorities and police conducted crowd control exercises with a network of nearly a thousand AI-supported CCTV cameras, ahead of the first anniversary of the disaster.
A way to respond to the accusations of last year, when many protested about the poor or almost non-existent security present in the tortuous network of streets of the neighborhood popular among the youngest of the South Korean capital, where tens of thousands of people flocked.
Meanwhile, a police investigation found negligence in the authorities’ management and 23 officials were indicted. But no senior government official has resigned or been removed, despite the many controversies.
President Yoon Suk-yeol, criticized for having moved the presidential office right near Itaewon, forcing several policemen to follow a protest against his administration on that dramatic October 29, 2022.
Yoon will not participate in the commemoration of the victims of the massacre scheduled for the weekend in front of Seoul City Hall. Also because the majority of her defined the event as a “political demonstration organized by the opposition party”.
The Democratic Party calls for a new independent and complete investigation, but denounces “obstacles” from the conservative majority. The presidential office assures that after the tragedy precautions are at their maximum. «Our absolute priority is the life and safety of people; the government will continue to evaluate the national security system and make necessary improvements,” it said in a statement.
In many parts of South Korea, revelers have actually been told to avoid excessive gatherings, with varying degrees of severity. The approach of Japan, another country where the Halloween celebration has become an institution, seems even more stringent. The authorities of the famous Shibuya district in Tokyo have asked to avoid masks in the area.
To dissuade the partying, a drinking ban has been issued in the streets around Shibuya Station, effective from Friday evening until the early hours of November 1. Over 30 stores in the area were asked to suspend alcohol sales on Saturday and Halloween evening.
About 300 security guards are expected to be deployed from Saturday evening to Tuesday, an increase of about 50% from last year. But according to forecasts it will not be enough. Also because this will be the first Halloween since 2019 in which no anti-Covid measures are in force in Japan.
Four years ago, Shibuya saw over 40,000 visitors on Halloween night. Although numbers have plummeted in subsequent years due to the pandemic, there are fears that crowds could exceed 60,000 visitors this time due to the lifting of restrictions.
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