Police Chief in South Korea Faces Charges in Connection with Halloween Crush in Seoul

The chief of police in Seoul, Kim Kwang-ho, has been charged with negligence in relation to a Halloween crush that resulted in the death of 159 young people in South Korea. This makes him the highest-ranking police official to face charges connected to the tragedy. According to local media reports, he is accused of failing to ensure sufficient officers were present in Itaewon, central Seoul, on October 29, 2022. Over 100,000 individuals had gathered in the area that night. While some of the victims' relatives are pleased with the charges, they believe it should have been done sooner. Mr. Kim, who heads the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, was not on duty when the tragedy occurred. Authorities state that around 137 officers were deployed on the ground in Itaewon on that night, significantly outnumbered by the large crowd of predominantly young people in the narrow alleyways of the Itaewon entertainment district. Signs of trouble emerged in 2022 around 18:30 local time, hours before the fatal crush occurred in an alley off the main road. Most of the victims were in their 20s. A report in January 2023 concluded that local municipal and emergency service officials bore responsibility for inadequate planning and a weak emergency response. It revealed that no preventive measures were taken in advance, and appropriate actions were not taken after emergency calls for assistance were received. Investigators also highlighted incorrect assessments of the situation, leading to delayed information sharing and a lack of cooperation among organizations.