Crowds gather in Itaewon, Hongdae as govt. warns of safety risks

Festive crowds packed Seoul's Itaewon, Hongdae and other nightlife districts across Seoul to celebrate Halloween on Friday, as authorities issued safety alerts and actively managed the crowds to ensure public safety.

Police began restricting access to the alley behind the Hamilton Hotel, the site of South Korea's deadliest crowd crush during Halloween weekend on Oct. 29, 2022, while controlling the flow of people in nearby areas.

The Yongsan district office announced that subways will skip stops at Itaewon Station from 11 p.m. due to overcrowding.

It also sent a safety alert, warning that crowds near Itaewon Station around 10:30 p.m. could pose safety risks and urged visitors to avoid the area.

In the Hongdae tourist zone, more than 100,000 people gathered, prompting large electronic billboards to flash safety warnings.

The government has taken safety measures to better manage crowded districts during the Halloween celebrations, as this year's festivities were expected to draw larger crowds than in previous years as it falls on a Friday amid the K-content boom and the recent resumption of visa-free entry for Chinese tourists.

Three years ago, 159 people were killed in a crowd crush in Itaewon during the Halloween weekend. On the third anniversary, people laid flowers at the accident site, and various commemorative events took place. (Yonhap)