At least 153 people were killed and dozens more hurt in an apparent crowd surgeat packed Halloween festivities in the South Korean capital of Seoul, local officials say.
The crush took place in the nightlife district of Itaewon. What caused the crush is not clear, but witnesses say partygoers had been packed tightly in the district’s narrow streets and it was difficult to move around.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a period of national mourning.
Three South Korean military personnel among those killed in Seoul crowd surge
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Three South Korean military personnel are among those killed in an apparent crowd surge at the popular Seoul nightclub district Itaewon Saturday night, a Korean defense ministry official told CNN on Sunday.
Four other South Korean military personnel were injured in the incident and are being treated in hospital, the official added.
The official did not provide any further information.
It has also been confirmed that the dead includes one Norwegian and one Sri Lankan national, as well as two Japanese victims.
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56 men and 97 women among those killed in Seoul crowd surge
From CNN's Gawon Bae in Seoul
Among the 153 killed in Saturday’s apparent crowd surge at Seoul’s popular nightclub district Itaewon were 56 men and 97 women, South Korea’s Interior and Safety Ministry reported Sunday.
Four victims were teenagers, 95 people were in their 20s, 32 people in their 30s, nine in their 40s and 13 have yet to be identified, the ministry said.
As of 5 p.m. local time Sunday (4 a.m. ET), the number of people injured has risen to 133, of whom 37 are seriously injured, the ministry said.
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Nearly all of the people confirmed dead have been identified, police say
From CNN's In Jeong Kim
South Korean police officers stand guard at the scene in Seoul on Sunday.
Lee Jin-man/AP
Seoul Metropolitan Police said they have confirmed the identities of nearly all those killed in an apparent crowd surge at Seoul’s popular nightclub district Itaewon on Saturday.
The identities of 150 people killed have been confirmed, police told CNN on Sunday. The death toll from the disaster stands at 153.
The three bodies who have yet to be identified are all young women whose nationalities have yet to be verified, they added.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government had said they had received 4,024 missing persons reports as of 5 p.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), though some of these reports could relate to the same people.
Police said there is no active search for those reported missing as they believe no one went missing from the scene. They said thousands of missing person reports have been used to help identify those killed in the incident.
Four Iranians among the dead: Four Iranians are among those killed in an apparent crowd surge at the popular Seoul nightclub district Itaewon Saturday night, Iran’s Embassy in Seoul confirmed, according to the semiofficial Iran Student News Agency (ISNA).
Two of the deceased have been identified in Seoul hospitals and two are located in hospitals outside of Seoul, the report said.
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Australian among dead in Seoul disaster
An Australian was among those killed in the crush at Seoul’s popular nightclub district Itaewon on Saturday night, according to the government in Canberra.
“Consular officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are providing consular assistance to the individual’s family in Australia,” a DFAT statement read.
The Australian Embassy in Seoul is “assisting a number of other Australians who were present at the event,” according to a DFAT spokesperson.
“The Australian Government sends its condolences to the family and others affected by this tragic incident. We ask for the family’s privacy to be respected during this difficult time. Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment,” the statement read.
Death toll rises: The death toll from the disaster in Seoul’s Itaewon nightclub district has meanwhile risen by two to 153, according to the country’s Ministry of Interior and Safety.
Among the 153 dead were 20 foreign nationals, according to the ministry.
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Four Chinese nationals among the dead
Four Chinese nationals were among the 151 people killed during Halloween festivities in Seoul, with two others suffering minor injuries, Chinese state news agency Xinhua has reported.
Nineteen foreign nationals in total are among the dead, including people from Iran, Norway and Uzbekistan.
Shortly after reports of the incident emerged, the Chinese embassy in Seoul contacted South Korean officials and monitored social media networks to see if any Chinese citizens needed assistance, Xinhua said.
It added that it would provide help to victims’ families and has offered its condolences.
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What we know about the Halloween disaster in Seoul
CNN's Sophie Jeong, Gawon Bae, Paula Hancocks, Hilary Whiteman and Jessie Yeung
On Saturday night, tens of thousands of people flooded into the streets of the Itaewon neighborhood in Seoul to celebrate Halloween.
But as the night went on, panic erupted as the crowds swelled. What exactly caused the crush still isn’t clear, but witnesses say partygoers had been packed tightly in the district’s narrow streets and it was difficult to move around.
As of Sunday afternoon, 151 people have been killed – making it one of the country’s worst disasters.
"People were still partying on the streets, oblivious to what was happening," eyewitness says
CNN's Teele Rebane
Emergency personnel work at the scene at the popular Itaewon district in Seoul on October 30.
Yonhap News/Reuters
An English teacher in Seoul who was passing through Itaewon on Saturday night recounted what she saw to CNN.
“There were rows and rows of people with tarps covering them in the street,” said Emily Farmer, 27.
Farmer, who was with two friends, said she did not see any crowd control measures in place in the area.
The tragedy has killed at least 151 people and left dozens more hurt. Nineteen foreign nationals, from Iran, Norway, China and Uzbekistan, are also among the dead.
Farmer and her friends were “overwhelmed” by the crowds on the street and decided to enter a bar.
Shortly after, rumors started spreading that somebody had died and patrons were not allowed to leave. Farmer said she received an emergency message from the government alerting them to “a dangerous situation in the area.”
She was allowed to leave the bar at around midnight and she learned of the tragedy that had taken place just outside.
“It was horrible,” she said. “Not everyone died instantly.”
“They were still pulling people (out) because it was so crowded,” she added.
Groups of people were crying, she added. Many victims were receiving CPR and had their costumes taken off to allow medics at the scene to resuscitate them.
She still hasn’t heard back from two acquaintances in the area who she messaged last night. “I’m still in shock. It was obviously very traumatic,” she added.
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Itaewon human crush "not a problem that could have been solved in advance," South Korean minister says
Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Interior and Safety speaks during a press conference at the government complex in Seoul on Thursday, Oct. 6.
Kim Seung-doo/Yonhap/AP
The human crush at Itaewon was “not a problem that could have been solved in advance,” South Korea’s Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min said on Sunday.
He added that there had been “various disturbances and demonstrations” in other parts of Seoul on Saturday.
“It was expected that many citizens would gather so a considerable number of police and security forces were deployed to Gwanhwanmun (another area of Seoul),” he said.
However, in Itaewon, the crowd had not been unusually large, he said, so only a “normal” level of security forces had been deployed there.
Speaking before the minister’s comments, Juliette Kayyem, a disaster management expert and national security analyst for CNN, had said it was hard to pinpoint what might have triggered the crush, but that authorities would have “anticipated high numbers” in the area.
“There is a responsibility on the part of the authorities to be monitoring crowd volume in real time, so they can sense the need to get people out,” Kayyem said.
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Leaders from across Asia offer condolences
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on October 28.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
More world leaders have offered their condolences and messages of support following the South Korean tragedy that killed 151 people.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee expressed “sadness and profound sorrow” and extended his “deepest condolences” to families of the victims.
“The government will pay close attention to the incident,” he added. “I have asked the Security Bureau to monitor its development and stand ready to render assistance to any Hong Kong residents that may need assistance.”
“Our deepest condolences on the loss of life and injuries in the Itaewon incident. Thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims, and heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded,” it added.
Japan, which historically has had a rocky relationship with South Korea, also sent a message of support and “solidarity.”
“On behalf of the government and people of Japan, I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their bereaved families, and our prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.
“I am deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of many precious lives, including young people with a bright future, as a result of the very tragic accident that occurred in Itaewon, Seoul.”
Seoul government handling thousands of missing person reports
South Korean authorities have received at least 3,580 missing person reports as of 12 p.m. local time on Sunday (11 p. m. ET Saturday), following a crush at Halloween festivities in Seoul that killed at least 151 people.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it had set up a situation room for the incident at a nearby community center and was receiving reports through visits and phone calls.
It added that a public memorial will be set up.
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"I'll just keep searching": mother of Seoul crush victim
From CNN's Angus Watson
Relatives of missing people weep at a community service center in Seoul on October 30.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
The last time Ahn Yeon-seon saw her daughter was on Saturday, when the 19-year-old asked for money so she could go out to celebrate Halloween with her boyfriend.
Hours later, Ahn received a call from the boyfriend saying her daughter had died in the crush that killed 151 people in the Itaewon nightlife district of Seoul.
Ahn told South Korea’s Yonhap news agency that her daughter had wanted to mark the occasion because her boyfriend was about to undertake his mandatory military service. Seven hours after Ahn last saw her daughter, the boyfriend called, crying.
Since then, Ahn has been searching hospitals for her daughter, waiting for confirmation of what happened to her.
She spoke to Yonhap from Soonchunghyang University Hospital, where many of the victims were taken.
Despite being young, her daughter had started working early to help support her family and raise her younger siblings after the early death of their father, her mother told Yonhap.
“I’ll just keep searching,” Ahn said.
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So many costumes we couldn't tell if screaming police officer was real: survivor
One eyewitness Sung Sehyun, told CNN that the street space was like a “jammed subway,” with Halloween partygoers packed so tightly that it was difficult to move around.
“I was lucky to get through (but an) hour later, I heard people got killed. Because people got stamped on … and people got jammed together.”
The danger of the situation also did not reach many others until it was too late.
Suah Cho said people had started to push and shove, and there was a lot of screaming. She eventually managed to take a detour and fled to safety but had seen people climbing buildings to survive.
“At that time I realized how serious it was. Before I couldn’t really tell. Ambulances and police usually attend these big events.”
This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Suah Cho’s name.
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More than 90% of those killed in Seoul crush have been identified: Minister of Interior and Safety
From CNN's Sophie Jeong in Seoul
More than 90% of the 151 people who were killed in a crowd surge in Seoul on Saturday during Halloween festivities have been identified, South Korea’s Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min said on Sunday.
Identification was still pending in some cases where the deceased was either under the age of 17 or a foreign national, Lee added.
South Korea issues national ID cards to anyone aged 17 years old and over, making it easier to identify the bodies of people above this age.
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State will provide funeral and psychological support to victims and families: South Korean prime minister
From CNN's Sophie Jeong in Seoul
The South Korean government will provide support and a fund for families of those killed and injured in a crowd surge during Halloween festivities in Seoul, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Sunday.
The crush in the nightlife district of Itaewon killed 151 people, including 19 foreign nationals, and injured a further 82.
The South Korean government will “operate a funeral support team and respond fully to the treatment of the injured” along with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Han said. Psychological treatment for the families and the injured will also be provided, the prime minister added.
“Our country has a history of overcoming disasters with all citizens united in one mind,” Hand said, adding, “I earnestly ask all the people to join so that we can overcome sorrow and rise again.”
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Mourning period will last until November 5
From CNN’s Sophie Jeong in Seoul
Flowers are laid near the scene in Seoul on Sunday October. 30.
Ahn Young-joon/AP
The national mourning period for the victims of the Halloween crush in Seoul will go from today through November 5.
During the mourning period, all public institutions and diplomatic offices will fly flags at half staff, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Sunday, adding that all non-urgent events will be postponed.
Civil servants and employees of public institutions will wear ribbons to express their condolences during the mourning period, Han added.
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Seoul Halloween tragedy among worst crushes in memory
From CNN's Heather Chen
Soccer fans enter the pitch during a clash between supporters at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia on Oct. 1.
Yudha Prabowo/AP
The crush that killed at least 151 people during Halloween festivities in Seoul on Saturday is among the most deadly such tragedies to have occurred across the world in recent years.
It comes just weeks after 131 people were killed in a crush that followed a heated soccer match between two of Indonesia’s biggest teams at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java on October 1. On that occasion, supporters of the two teams clashed in the stands before spilling onto the pitch. However, investigators have blamed the majority of deaths on the police’s use of tear gas as a crowd control measure.
The tragedy in Indonesia is recognized as one of the world’s worst stadium disasters and has drawn parallels with the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster in Sheffield, England, in which more than 90 people were crushed to death.
It also has parallels to one of Africa’s worst soccer disasters, when 126 people were killed at a stadium in Ghana in 2001 after police fire tear gas at rioting fans.
Police cordon off a bridge in the early morning in Phnom Penh on November 23, 2010 following a stampede that killed at least 350 people.
Reuters
In Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh, mass panic spread on the last day of a water festival in 2010. At least 350 people were killed during the crush, which took place on bridge near the Royal Palace.
Even more people died in Saudi Arabia in 1990 during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, when more than a thousand pilgrims were crushed to death inside the al-Muaissem tunnel near the Muslim holy city of Mecca. In 2015, another deadly crush saw 717 Muslim pilgrims killed.
In India in 2009, rumors of a landslide triggered a crush by pilgrims at the Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh state and at least 145 people died. A month later, 147 people were killed in a crush at the Chamunda temple near the historic town of Jodhpur.
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Never again, vows South Korean President as he pledges investigation
From CNN's Sophie Jeong in Seoul
South Korean President walks at the scene with emergency personnel in Seoul on October 30.
Heo Ran/Reuters
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says the events in Seoul on Saturday night that led to the deaths of 151 people in an apparent crowd surge will be investigated and measures put in place to ensure it never happens again.
Yoon also said that in addition to support for funerals, prompt medical support will be provided to the injured through a “multi-purpose emergency system.”
“I pray for those who died in an unexpected accident and hope that the injured will recover quickly,” Yoon said.
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Foreign nationals from Iran, Norway, China and Uzbekistan among the dead
From CNN's Sophie Jeong in Seoul
People from Iran, Norway, China and Uzbekistan are among the 19 foreign nationals killed in the crush in Seoul on Saturday, Yongsan Fire Dept Chief Choi Seong-bum says.
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Tens of thousands of people in the streets of Seoul when deadly crush took place
From CNN's Sophie Jeong and Benjamin Yim Atlanta
An ambulance is seen in the district of Itaewon in Seoul on October 30.
Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images
Tens of thousands of people were out on the streets of Seoul to celebrate Halloween when the crush took place, the local fire chief told South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Yongsan Fire Dept Chief Choi Seong-bum said that 151 people were killed in the incident and a further 82 were injured.
Officials are still investigating what led to the crush. Choi said there was no gas leak or fire on site.
Authorities first received reports of people being “buried” in crowds at around 10:24 p.m. local time Saturday night.
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South Korean President visits site of Itaewon tragedy
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visits the scene where dozens of people died and were injured in Seoul on Sunday, Oct. 30.
Lee Jin-man/AP
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday visited the neighborhood of Itaewon, the site of the Halloween crush which has killed 151 people, mostly teenagers and young adults.
What led to Halloween crush in Seoul's nightlife district?
Partygoers leave the the scene following a stampede during a Halloween festival in Seoul on October 30.
Kim Hong-ji/Reuters
While investigators continue to piece together the exact chain of events that led to the deaths of at least 151 people during an apparent crowd surge in the Itaewon district of Seoul on Saturday night, one expert has suggested there may have been “no triggering moment.”
Tens of thousands of people were out on the streets of the South Korean capital to celebrate Halloween when the crush took place, according to the local fire chief, and many of them had flocked to the nightlife district of Itaewon – an area known both for its vibrant nightlife as well as its narrow streets and alleys.
Witnesses say the tight streets and alleyways had become overcrowded with people congregating outside bars, pubs and restaurants.
At some point, many appear to have attempted to flee the area – though officials said there were no gas leaks or fires on site when they received the first emergency calls of people being “buried” in crowds at 10:24 p.m.
Juliette Kayyem, a disaster management expert and national security analyst for CNN, said the city’s density may have played a role in the tragedy.
Kayyem said that in a panic situation the combination of narrow streets and dead end alleyways “certainly would have been deadly,” and that because people in Seoul are used to crowds they might not have spotted the danger.
She said that panic is often a factor in tragedies like this and that “when panic happens and you have nowhere to go, you’re likely to get crushed.”
However, she added that when such panics happen, “a lot of times, there is no triggering moment.”
Still, she said that while it’s hard to pinpoint what might have triggered the crush authorities “would have anticipated high numbers … before Saturday night.”
“There is a responsibility on the part of the authorities to be monitoring crowd volume in real time, so they can sense the need to get people out,” Kayyem said.
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Toll rises to 151, with 19 foreign nationals among the dead
The death toll from the crowd crush in Seoul’s Itaewon nightlife area has risen to 151, the city fire department said Sunday. Among the dead are 19 foreign nationals.
Eighty-two others have been injured.
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South Korean President Yoon declares period of national mourning for Itaewon crush
A live broadcast of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is displayed in Seoul on Sunday morning, October 30.
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a period of national mourning after an apparent crowd surge killed at least 149 people in the Itaewon district of Seoul during Halloween celebrations.
Speaking on Sunday morning, Yoon sent his condolences to families of the victims and wished all injured “speedy recoveries.”
He said it was “miserable” to see the disaster play out in the heart of the capital, and would come up with measures to prevent similar accidents in future.
Yoon said the mourning period would continue “until the handling of the accident is concluded.”
The crush in Itaewon on Halloween is one of South Korea’s worst disasters since a 2014 ferry sinking that killed 304 people, mainly high school students.
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Itaewon: a trendy nightlife hotspot full of narrow streets and alleys
From CNN's Heather Chen
The Itaewon district of Seoul is seen on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020.
Jean Chung/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Itaewon, where the crush occurred, is one of Seoul’s top nightlife areas.
Once shunned by locals as a seedy, red light district, it has since been transformed into a trendy hotspot featuring nightclubs and restaurants that are popular with young Koreans and the city’s gay communities.
The area is also home to the Seoul Central Mosque and a sizable local Muslim community.
OpenStreetMap/Mapbox
Its cramped and narrow streets and alleyways can make it hard to navigate after dark, especially when it is busy.
On Saturday, huge crowds poured into Itaewon to celebrate Halloween for the first time in three years following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
Officials on the ground say a crush occurred as crowds surged through the narrow streets.
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What we know so far: Crowd crush kills at least 149 at Halloween festivities in Seoul
Police pass ambulances at Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital in Seoul, on Oct 30.
Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images
Much of Asia is waking up to the news that nearly 150 people have been killed and dozens more injured in an apparent crowd surge in the Itaewon nightlife district of Seoul.
Here’s what we know so far:
What caused the crush is not clear, but witnesses have said that beforehand partygoers were packed tightly in the district’s narrow streets and that it was difficult to move around.
Most of the casualties so far have been teenagers and people in their 20s, officials said. Many were dressed in halloween costumes.
Photos and videos on social media show people lying in the streets and on stretchers as first responders render aid.
Many victims suffered “cardiac arrest” and “breathing difficulties,” officials at the scene said.
More than 1,700emergency responders have been dispatched, including 517 firefighters, 1,100 police officials, and about 70 government workers.
Authorities are having a hard time identifying victims and are asking families for help.
Two foreigners were reportedly among the dead, and 15 among the injured.
The Seoul city government is also receiving reports of missing people.
Dozens of injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals, with local health authorities adding that the death toll is likely to increase.
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World leaders send messages of support to South Korea
World leaders have been sending condolences and messages of support to South Korea after an apparent crowd surge killed at least 149 people in the Itaewon district of Seoul during Halloween celebrations.
Philip Seth Goldberg, United States ambassador to South Korea since 2022, tweeted in both English and Korean: “I’m devastated by the tragic loss of life in Itaewon last night. Please know my thoughts, and those of our team at US Embassy Seoul, are with the Korean people and especially the loved ones of those who perished, as well as the many injured in this catastrophic incident.”
“France is by your side,” President Emmanuel Macron said, tweeting in French and Korean.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted: “The tragic events in Seoul come as a shock to all of us. Our thoughts are with the numerous victims and their families. This is a sad day for South Korea. Germany stands by their side.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: “On behalf of Canadians, I’m sending my deepest condolences to the people of South Korea today, following a deadly stampede in Seoul. I’m thinking of everyone affected by this tragedy, and wishing a fast and full recovery to those who were injured.”
The Australian government also sent messages of support.
“Our sincere condolences for all affected by this terrible tragedy,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted.
Australia’s embassy in Seoul said it was “urgently making enquiries” with local authorities to determine if any Australians were involved.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said: “Deeply saddened by the terrible events in central Seoul. What was meant to be a celebration turned into a tragedy with so many young casualties. We are with the people of the Republic of Korea at this difficult moment.”
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The big unanswered question: Why?
CNN's Will Ripley
Rescue teams and firefighters at the scene where at least 149 people died in a crowd surge during Halloween celebrations in Seoul, South Korea, on Oct. 30.
Kim Hong-ji/Reuters
Exactly what caused the apparent crowd surge that led to the deaths of at least 149 people during Halloween gatherings in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night remains unclear.
CNN’s Will Ripley notes this was the first halloween celebration in three years which did not have pandemic restrictions in South Korea:
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Two foreigners died in the Seoul Halloween crush, and a US citizen was among those hurt: Officials
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Two foreigners died in the Itaewon Halloween tragedy and over a dozen others — including a US citizen — were among those hurt, officials said.
Yongsan Fire Chief Choi Seong-bum said two “foreign nationals” had died but did not say where they were from. He added that 15 other foreign nationals were hurt.
According to the US State Department, at least one of the people injured was a US citizen.
“We are working with local authorities to determine if any additional US citizens were affected and stand ready to provide consular assistance,” the official said.
Some background: People fly into Seoul from all over to celebrate Halloween in Itaewon, CNN’s Will Ripley notes. Hotels and ticketed events in the neighborhood were booked solid ahead of this weekend’s festivities.
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Most of the casualties in Seoul are teens or people in their 20s, fire chief says
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Most of those hurt or killed in the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night are teenagers or people in their 20s, according to the chief of the Yongsan Fire Department.
In an update Sunday morning, Fire Chief Choi Seong-bum said at least 149 people had died and 76 people were injured. Nineteen of those people were severely hurt while 57 others suffered minor injuries.
Late Saturday, as officials were still trying to grasp the full scope of the tragedy, authorities said as many as 150 people were hurt.
South Korea’s president urged officials to quickly identify those who died, as many people were still unaccounted for.
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Official death toll increases to 149 in Itaewon Halloween tragedy
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Long queues of ambulances formed on the streets looking for people who needed to be taken to hospital on Sunday, October 30, 2022.
CNN
The death toll has reached at least 149 from the apparent crowd surge during Halloween gatherings in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to a local fire official.
Yongsan Fire Department Chief Choi Seong-bum shared the update after 6 a.m. local time in Seoul (5 p.m. ET), as day broke and officials sorted through what was left in the crowded streets of the popular nightclub district.
A local health official had earlier warned that with dozens of people hospitalized, the death toll was likely to rise.
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Biden awaiting briefing on the situation in Seoul
From CNN's Sam Fossum
Speaking to reporters Saturday evening, US President Joe Biden briefly reacted to the tragic news out of South Korea.
The President said he had not yet been fully briefed and that he would release a lengthier statement later.
“I will make a statement when I find out more about it. I literally just heard about it from staff on the way down in the car,” Biden said outside a Delaware polling place where he cast an early vote.
The President reacted with apparent shock when told the latest death toll numbers by the press.
At last update, more than 140 people had died and at least 150 others were hurt, in what local officials believe was a crowd surge during packed gatherings.
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South Korean President urges authorities to quickly identify victims for the sake of their families
From CNN's Gawon Bae
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol holding an emergency meeting.
Handout/South Korean Presidential Office
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has ordered authorities to rapidly identify the victims in Seoul for the sake of worried families, according to a spokesperson.
Yoon immediately activated an emergency management headquarters, with the country’s prime minister in charge, and ordered the interior and safety minister to begin an investigation into the cause of the incident, said Kim Eun-hye, a top public relations official for the president.
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More than 140 people died during packed Halloween festivities in Seoul. Here's what we know
Rescue teams work at the scene in Itaewon on Saturday night.
Kim Hong-ji/Reuters
At least 146 people have died and 150 were injured in an apparent crowd surge during packed Halloween festivities in Seoul Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.
Here are the latest developments.
Death toll could rise: With local hospitals treating dozens of injured people from the Seoul Halloween emergency, the death toll will likely increase, a local health official said. The cause of injuries and deaths in the incident has not been officially confirmed, added Choi Jae-won, the head of Yongsan Health Center.
Official blames crowd surge: A local fire official described the emergency as a “presumed stampede,” but the investigation is just beginning. Few details on specific injuries were provided. Yonhap News Agency reported dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” and trouble breathing.
Authorities said the emergency was not due to a gas leak or a fire in the popular nightclub district. They started receiving reports of people “buried” in the crowds there around 10:24 p.m. local time (9:24 a.m. ET) Saturday.
Witnesses observe chaotic scene: A witness said people were jammed on a narrow street and could not breathe. “I saw the people going to the left side and I saw the person getting to the opposite side,” Sung Sehyun told CNN. “The person in the middle got jammed, so they had no way to communicate. They could not breathe.”
CNN’s Will Ripley reported that a long line of stretchers forming on the street would be used to take bodies from the scene.
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Itaewon Halloween emergency was a "presumed stampede," fire official says
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Rescue workers on the street near the scene in Itaewon on Saturday night.
Lee Jin-man/AP
The dozens of people killed and injured in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night were victims of a “presumed stampede,” according to a local fire chief, but the investigation is just beginning.
According to Yongsan Fire Department Chief Choi Seong-bum, 1,701 response personnel are on scene, including 517 firefighters, 1,100 police and 70 government workers.
The bodies of the victims are being transferred to multiple hospital mortuaries, according to Choi.
Seoul’s government is also receiving reports of missing people, as there are many unidentified victims.
Authorities are still investigating the incident and working to identify the victims.
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Senior White House official pledges US support to South Korea
From CNN's Sam Fossum
The United States government is ready to provide South Korea with “any support it needs” after the deadly incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Twitter.
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At least 146 people killed and 150 injured in Itaewon Halloween incident, according to official
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Rescue officials load a stretcher into an ambulance in Itaewon on Saturday night.
Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images
The death toll has reached at least 146 from the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.
At least 150 others were injured in the incident, the chief added.
The causes of death have not yet been reported, but Yonhap News Agency reported that dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” from the incident, citing fire officials.
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Health official: Seoul death toll will likely increase
From CNN's Gawon Bae
With local hospitals treating dozens of injured people from the Seoul Halloween emergency, the death toll will likely increase, a local health official said.
The cause of injuries and deaths in the incident has not been officially confirmed, added Choi Jae-won, the head of Yongsan Health Center.
Local fire officials said the emergency was not due to a gas leak or a fire in the popular nightclub district, but that they started receiving reports of people “buried” in the crowds there around 10:24 p.m. local time (9:24 a.m. ET) Saturday.
CNN’s Will Ripley reported that even before the chaos broke out, Halloween partygoers were packed so tightly in the narrow streets that it was difficult to move around.
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Officials say they are still investigating the cause of the Itaewon Halloween emergency
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Police investigate the scene in Itaewon on Saturday night.
Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images
Officials said they are still investigating the exact cause of the incident that killed at least 120 people in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night.
Choi Seong-bum, chief of the Yonsan Fire Department, said there was no gas leak nor fire in the popular nightclub district, but that they received reports of people “buried” in crowds starting around 10:24 p.m. local time (9:24 a.m. ET) Saturday night.
A witness described the chaotic scene to CNN, saying people were jammed and could not breathe.
“I saw the people going to the left side and I saw the person getting to the opposite side. “The person in the middle got jammed, so they had no way to communicate, they could not breathe,” Song Sehyun told CNN.
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Stretchers line Seoul street to take away bodies from Halloween incident
Emergency workers formed a long line of waiting stretchers after over 100 people were killed during Halloween festivities in Seoul’s popular nightclub district.
Authorities have released few details about the exact cause of the incident, but Yonhap News Agency reported dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” and had trouble breathing.
CNN’s Will Ripley said that when he arrived in the Itaewon neighborhood, there were streams of people walking through the streets, crying and talking on the phone, still wearing costumes from what was intended as a celebration.
While there were paramedics with ambulances still looking for anyone who needed to go the hospital, Ripley reported that the long line of stretchers forming on the street would be used to take bodies from the scene.
Some background: People fly into Seoul from all over Asia to celebrate Halloween in Itaewon, Ripley noted. Hotels and ticketed events in the neighborhood were booked solid ahead of this weekend’s festivities, he said.
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At least 120 people killed in the Seoul Halloween incident, fire chief says
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Rescue team members wait with stretchers to remove bodies from the scene on Saturday night in the Itaewon district, Seoul.
Kim Hong-ji
The death toll has reached at least 120 from the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.
At least 100 others were injured in the incident, the chief added.
The causes of death have not yet been reported but Yonhap News Agency reported that dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest” from the incident, attributing fire officials.
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South Korean president dispatches medical team to Halloween incident
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Emergency services treat injured people on Saturday night in Seoul.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol dispatched a disaster medical assistance team to the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood, according to the presidential office.
The president also ordered authorities to secure emergency beds in hospitals nearby and to implement swift rescue operations and treatment, Presidential spokesman Lee Jae-myung said in a briefing.
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At least 59 killed and 150 injured in South Korea Halloween incident, fire official says
From CNN's Gawon Bae
Rescue crews seen in the nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul on Saturday night.
Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images
At least 59 people were killed in the Halloween incident in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood Saturday night, according to the Yongsan Fire Department chief.
At least 150 others were also injured, the chief added.
The cause of the deaths was not immediately provided, but the chief said many people fell during the Halloween festivities, resulting in casualties.
Yonhap News Agency reported dozens of people suffered from “cardiac arrest,” according to fire authorities, and at least 81 people told emergency officials they had “difficulty breathing.”
A total of 848 emergency forces have been dispatched, including 364 firefighters and 400 police officials, according to the chief.
Police have closed off the area in the neighborhood, and social media videos are showing people lying in the streets.
Authorities have not yet provided exact details on the cause of the incident or conditions of those injured.
