what happened in itaewon

In Itaewon, Seoul, on October 29, 2022, a tragic crowd crush occurred during Halloween festivities, resulting in the deaths of 159 people and injuries to 196 others. The area became dangerously overcrowded with thousands of people in narrow streets with insufficient crowd control measures. The majority of victims were young adults, including many foreigners. Emergency services faced significant challenges due to the density of the crowd, and investigations later revealed that police and government failures in preparation and crowd management were primary contributors to the disaster. The incident remains one of South Korea's deadliest peacetime disasters, with ongoing legal and social repercussions.