Seoul on Guard for Halloween Night: Itaewon Road Closed to Vehicles, More Than 7,800 Police Deployed Nationwide
SEOUL — South Korean police and the Seoul city government mounted a nationwide crowd-safety operation for Halloween night. The Korean National Police Agency said more than 7,800 officers were deployed at 28 crowded locations across the country on October 31; in Seoul, Itaewon Road was closed to all vehicles for the evening, and one lane of Hongdae's club street was shut.
Seoul designated October 23 to November 1 as a special management period covering 14 crowded districts, with eight priority areas: Itaewon, Hongdae, Ikseon-dong, Myeongdong, Seongsu, the Konkuk University area, Gangnam Station, and Apgujeong Rodeo. A total of 3,271 safety personnel were assigned across the period, including 1,620 in Itaewon alone.
Technology is part of the plan: 361 AI-enabled CCTV cameras analyze crowd density in key areas and trigger automatic alerts at five to six people per square meter, while drones patrol above Hongdae, Seongsu, and Gangnam Station. Subway trains may skip Itaewon, Hongik University, Seongsu, and Konkuk University stations if platforms become dangerously crowded. The interior ministry has raised its crowd alert to the "attention" level.
Acting police chief Kim Jong-cheol inspected preparations in Itaewon on October 30 and paid respects to the victims of the 2022 crowd crush, which killed 159 people on October 29, 2022, during Halloween festivities. October 29 this year marked the tragedy's fourth anniversary.
Source: GSM News (USA)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：首尔梨泰院街头夜景（资料图，2023年摄）。Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.0。 / Itaewon, Seoul, at night (file photo, 2023). Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
