The South Korean capital’s nightlife district fell quiet on Saturday as lots of mourned for the 159 individuals killed throughout a Halloween crowd crush one 12 months in the past.
Few individuals clad in Halloween costumes had been seen on Saturday in Seoul’s in style Itaewon neighbourhood, the positioning of last year’s deadly surge.
The partitions of the sloped alley the place many died had been plastered with post-it notes and condolence messages that learn “we cannot overlook you” or “we’ll keep in mind you”.
Eating places, bars, amusement parks and outlets, in the meantime, are avoiding Halloween-themed occasions as an indication of respect for the victims.
Lee Sung-min, who lives and works within the district, stated he didn’t even realise it was the Halloween weekend till early on Saturday.
“It was once crammed with guests wearing costumes and blood make-up by this time,” he stated.
“However in case you take a look at the age vary of the individuals strolling round, it is largely simply comparatively {old} native residents.”
Whereas gatherings haven’t been banned in Itaewon over Halloween, police had been conducting crowd-control drills with an AI-backed community of practically 1,000 CCTV cameras.
Many in Seoul blamed final 12 months’s catastrophe on an absence of preparation and crowd management measures, with early requires assist going unanswered.
Most who died had been aged of their 20s and 30s.
Many individuals had been nonetheless searching for different locations to affix Halloween festivities, equivalent to Hongdae, one other in style spot.
“I assumed Hongdae can be higher than Itaewon to have fun Halloween with my boyfriend,” stated Cheon Ye-ji, 19.
“It seems like the gang is best managed after final 12 months’s incident.”
Final 12 months’s tragedy prompted a police investigation that led to an acknowledgement of negligence and a poor response by the authorities, referring 23 officers for prosecution.
No senior authorities officers have resigned or been eliminated over the catastrophe and many of the 23 officers are nonetheless on trial.
Learn extra:
How did Seoul Halloween celebration turn into a deadly crush?
Witnesses describe ‘slow and agonising’ horror as crowd ‘just couldn’t breathe’
Households of the victims and their supporters have demanded President Yoon Suk Yeol supply a extra honest apology and settle for a radical, impartial investigation.
“The angle by the federal government and the ruling social gathering is inflicting deeper and extra painful scars on [us],” the households stated in a joint assertion.
“We simply wish to know the basic the reason why on 29 October 2022, 1000’s of individuals fell, 159 of them died and 1000’s of others had been injured or ended up residing with trauma.”