South Korea's National Police Agency Commissioner Yoon Hee-keun
(Picture: YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images)South Korea’s police have admitted crowd control at the deadly Halloween crush in Seoul was “inadequate” and vowed investigation “to explain the truth”.
In a press conference, National Police Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun said police received multiple reports warning of possible accidents on the night of the disaster.
The country’s chief security officer, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, apologised on Tuesday, vowing to find out the cause of the incident and prevent similar cases from recurring.
“As the minister overseeing the safety of the public, I express sincere apologies over the incident,” Lee said.
He said the government had “limitless responsibility over the safety of our people” as he addressed a parliamentary session televised live.
The death toll from the giant Itaewon street party on Saturday has climbed to 156 with 151 injured. Among them are 29 who are in a serious condition.
At least 26 citizens from 14 countries were among the dead.
“The police will speedily and rigorously conduct intensive inspections and investigation on all aspects without exception to explain the truth of this accident,” Yoon said.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also reiterated that the ongoing investigation would cover whether government agencies’ on-site responses were adequate.
Meanwhile President Yoon Suk-yeol has declared a week of national mourning, saying the country had too many safety disasters. He said better responses were critical, including improved crowd control.
“We should come up with concrete safety measures to manage crowds, not only on these streets where this massive disaster took place but at other places like stadiums and concert venues where large crowds gather,” he said at a cabinet meeting.
All the victims have been identified and memorial altars have been set up at the Seoul city hall and in the Itaewon district, where mourners paid their respects.
Tens of thousands of revellers - many in their teens and 20s and dressed in costume - had crowded into narrow streets and alleyways of the popular Itaewon district for the first unrestricted Halloween festivities in three years.
Hundreds of abandoned shoes have been laid out in rows in a badminton court in the capital Seoul.
Police have assembled the tennis shoes, loafers and Chuck Taylors — part of 1.5 tons of personal objects left by victims and survivors of the tragedy — in hopes that they will be taken by loved ones.
Most of the victims were women and many of them were missing shoes, which experts say reflects the force of a crowd surge that stripped footwear from their feet in the crush.
Some 250 pairs of shoes at the gym are part of a huge collection of abandoned items found in Itaewon following the tragedy.
There are also hundreds of pieces of clothing, including coats and movie character costumes, as well as handbags and smartphones.
