South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on Wednesday that police will have to explain how they responded after receiving several emergency calls in the hours and minutes before a Halloween party that killed more than 150 people in Seoul. Saturday night’s crash killed 156 and injured 151, with 29 in serious condition. Among the dead were at least 26 citizens from 14 countries.
Tens of thousands of young crowds flocked to the narrow streets and alleys of the popular Itaewon district for the first Halloween festivities in three years with virtually no restrictions from COVID-19. “The police must carry out thorough inspections and provide a clear and transparent explanation to the public,” Han said at the start of a televised meeting of the task force on the disaster.
Transcripts of emergency calls released by police on Tuesday showed the first warning of a potentially deadly stampede about four hours before the disaster. Police received 10 more similar calls before the chaos turned fatal, according to transcripts.
