Itaewon tragedy: Shocking details revealed

According to SMPA data, the remaining four police teams arrived at the scene between 23:50 on October 29 and 1:14 a.m. on October 30. SMPA also said that Mr. Lee Im-Jae arrived at Itaewon police station at 11:05 pm on October 29, about 50 minutes after the last call.

Halloween festival became a deadly TN on the night of October 29, making the residents of Itaewon, a busy neighborhood in Seoul (Korea) extremely shocked. It is known that this is the first Halloween event in Seoul in 3 years after Korea lifted restrictions as well as social distancing to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic.

After the incident, in the early morning of October 30, the victims' blood-stained clothes and utensils were scattered on a narrow street in Itaewon. President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared national mourning until the investigation is completed and the incident is under control.

On November 6, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) released data showing that five police teams were mobilized to the scene of the stampede on Itaewon Street, Seoul on the night of October 29. Police Team No. 11 - the first team to arrive at the scene at 11:40 pm on October 29 at the direction of Mr. Lee Im Jae - was the police chief of Yongsan Police Station, the unit responsible for the area including Itaewon Street. .

Meanwhile, according to Yonhap news agency, the last of 11 emergency calls to the South Korean police emergency line 112 was made at 10:15 pm on October 29. Thus, 85 minutes after receiving the last emergency call, the police from SMPA arrived at the scene.

According to SMPA data, the remaining four police teams arrived at the scene between 23:50 on October 29 and 1:14 a.m. on October 30. SMPA also said that Mr. Lee Im-Jae arrived at Itaewon police station at 11:05 pm on October 29, about 50 minutes after the last call.

The independent investigation team said that after having a meal with colleagues at the restaurant, Mr. Lee went to Noksapyeong Police Station, a 10-minute walk from the scene of the stampede on Itaewon Street at about 10pm. After that, Mr. Lee continued to the Itaewon police station, but because he insisted on taking a car while the traffic was jammed, he arrived late at the scene.

Finally, Mr. Lee was present on the street near Itaewon police station between 10:55 pm-23:01 pm on October 29. Mr. Lee has now been suspended from his position. On November 3, the Korean National Police Agency announced that it would request a special investigation team to investigate Mr. Lee Im Jae in connection with allegations of negligence in directing the police response to the stampede. due to being too late to the scene and late reporting the situation to superiors.

In addition, the special investigation police team is also investigating whether Yongsan Police Station has fulfilled its responsibilities to ensure public order and manage safety before large gatherings. On November 2, the special investigation police team searched the offices of 8 agencies including the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Yongsan Police Station, Yongsan Fire Station, and the headquarters of the Fire and Disaster Agency. Seoul Capital, Seoul Metro company headquarters... in the investigation of the police response related to the stampede in Itaewon.

Of the 156 people killed in the stampede, most were in their 20s, and nearly two-thirds of them were women. Many parents didn't know their children were in Itaewon at the time. Some wonder why Halloween is celebrated, an unfamiliar concept to older Koreans.

Most business households in Itaewon expect this entertainment area to be as crowded as before the pandemic. These expectations are high as the first Halloween season returns after a three-year hiatus. Many business households hope this is an event to promote sales, marking the revival of the most famous entertainment district in Seoul.

However, the unpredictable disaster on the night of October 29 made the psychology of the shop, bar and restaurant owners here bewildered and afraid. They are afraid that people will not dare to return because of psychological obsession. which led to a protracted recession. Moreover, the Itaewon Tourist Area Association has sent an urgent notice asking members and business owners to temporarily stop operating to pay their respects to the victims. Businesses in the Itaewon area will close for two days in mourning for the victims of the stampede.

"Several stores have been shut down. The temporary closure will depend on what happens next," a police officer said.

The Itaewon tragedy looks back after 1 year: People are still haunted, Korea stops celebrating Halloween Kim Lâm16:35:11 20/10/2023One year after the tragedy of a stampede in a small alley in Itaewon that left more than 150 people dead, it is still a nightmare for many people in Korea. This year's Halloween activities seem to have completely disappeared in this country.