Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - 19 foreigners killed in South Korea stampede: fire department

19 foreigners killed in South Korea stampede: fire department

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (front, second left) visits the scene of a Halloween stampede in the capital's popular Itaewon district, in Seoul on October 30. AFP

19 foreigners killed in South Korea stampede: fire department

Nineteen foreigners were among those killed in a stampede at a Halloween event in Seoul, South Korea's fire department told AFP on October 30.

The national fire agency said the death toll from the accident had risen to 151 people, including the 19 foreigners, who died in a crowd surge and stampede which happened at about 10pm on October 29.

The fire agency could not immediately provide details of the nationalities involved, but the Yonhap news agency reported that it included people from Iran, Uzbekistan, China and Norway.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning on October 30, saying the government would pay for the medical care of those injured and the funerals of those who died.

"In the centre of Seoul, a tragedy and disaster occurred that should not have happened," Yoon said in a national address.

The disaster occurred in the capital's Itaewon district, where local reports said as many as 100,000 people – mostly in their teens and 20s – had gone to celebrate Halloween, clogging the area's narrow alleyways and winding streets.

Of the dead, 97 were female, said Choi Seong-beom, head of the fire department in Yongsan, which includes Itaewon, Yonhap reported.

Choi said 82 people were injured including 19 seriously, although the Ministry of Interior said 150 people had been injured.

The stampede, the deadliest in South Korea's recent history, happened in a narrow downhill alley near Hamilton Hotel, with eyewitnesses describing scenes of panic as people "fell like dominoes", Yonhap reported.

"A short person like me could not even breathe," one female eyewitness told Yonhap. "It looks like people in the middle suffered the most," she said.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • PM urges end to ‘baseless’ international Ream base accusations

    Prime Minister Hun Sen urges an end to “baseless” foreign accusations surrounding the development of the Kingdom’s Ream Naval Base, as the US has consistently suggested that the base is being expanded to accommodate a Chinese military presence. Hun Sen renewed his calls while

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.