Seoul mayor orders thorough Halloween safety preparations as Itaewon crush anniversary nears

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has ordered thorough preparations to prevent safety accidents caused by large crowds as Halloween on Oct. 31 coincides with both a weekend and the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Oh received a briefing on Halloween crowd safety management at a senior staff meeting Friday morning. "Large and small events and dense crowds are expected," he said, adding that officials should "put citizen safety above all else and prepare thoroughly, from advance planning to on-site management."

He also instructed officials to conduct advance inspections of facilities and pedestrian environments in areas expected to see heavy crowds — including Hongdae, Itaewon, Seongsu-dong and Ikseon-dong — and to take preemptive action to prevent accidents when large gatherings are anticipated.

In addition, Oh called on city agencies to maintain close coordination with police, fire departments, district offices and medical institutions to respond swiftly to crowd situations and ensure citizen safety.

The city has designated the period through Nov. 1 as a special Halloween safety period and will strengthen safety management across 14 areas in 10 districts where large crowds are expected, including Itaewon, Hongdae and Seongsu-dong.

Crowd conditions will be monitored in real time using 361 AI-equipped closed-circuit television cameras, Seoul's real-time urban data system and drones. A total of 3,271 safety management personnel will be deployed to manage pedestrian flow and conduct advance checks for hazards.

Should dangerous conditions arise from crowd congestion, the city and relevant agencies — including district offices, police and fire departments — will activate a joint response system and implement measures such as restricting subway station exits, running trains without stopping at affected stations and sending emergency disaster text alerts.