The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Friday that it has implemented a special safety management plan for Halloween, targeting 14 major nightlife and pedestrian-heavy areas, including Itaewon, Hongdae and Seongsu.
The designated safety period runs through Nov. 2, during which officials from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, local districts, police and fire authorities will jointly conduct inspections, on-site patrols and real-time crowd monitoring.
The 14 areas include the Itaewon and Hongdae tourist zones, Seongsu-dong cafe street, Konkuk University’s restaurant district, Gangnam Station, Apgujeong Rodeo Street, Myeong-dong, Ikseon-dong, Wangsimni Station, Yonsei-ro in Sinchon, Balsan Station, Sillim Station, Sharosu-gil and Nonhyeon Station.
Authorities will carry out preventive safety checks, deploy personnel, install safety fences and enforce parking bans and crowd control measures during the period. Emergency shelters, medical response teams and transportation systems linked to nearby hospitals will also be put in place.
Eight areas — Itaewon, Hongdae, Seongsu, Konkuk University, Gangnam Station, Apgujeong, Myeong-dong and Ikseon-dong — have been designated as priority management zones, with joint field command centers connected to local disaster control centers and surveillance video monitoring hubs to enable immediate responses to signs of danger.
Crowd detection cameras will automatically measure density per square meter and issue real-time alerts to officials and citizens. Police and safety officers will patrol heavily congested areas over the weekend ahead of Halloween to prevent accidents.
In Itaewon, safety personnel will be stationed throughout the main tourist district to help disperse crowds. Entry and exit routes will be separated if congestion levels reach the “warning” stage, and trains may skip Itaewon Station under conditions of “severe congestion.”
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also ordered the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, local governments, police and fire agencies on Friday to strengthen preventive measures and real-time coordination systems.
The Interior Ministry was instructed to inspect and supplement local safety plans for all major crowd-prone areas nationwide and to respond immediately if congestion or safety risks arise.
Local governments were told to intensify field inspections, engage with business owners and coordinate with local associations to implement their own safety management plans.
The National Police Agency was directed to deploy sufficient officers to maintain order in congested zones and to take swift dispersal measures when crowd surges occur.
The National Fire Agency will pre-position firefighting units around high-density areas and review evacuation routes in cooperation with local business associations before Halloween weekend.
Prime Minister Kim stressed that “while the nation prepares for global events such as APEC, nothing is more important than the safety of the people,” urging all ministries and municipalities to “mobilize every available resource for a seamless, preventive response.”
These measures come two years after the deadly crowd crush that claimed 159 lives in the nightlife district of Itaewon during Halloween weekend in 2022.
Seoul officials said local safety measures will be adjusted in real time based on conditions across districts.
“This year’s Halloween safety plan focuses on identifying and eliminating potential risks in advance,” Vice Mayor Kim Sung-bo said. “We will maintain a field-oriented response system and work closely with related agencies to ensure that citizen safety remains our top priority.”
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
