4 years on, lessons still unlearned
Wounds remain fresh even four years after the deadly crowd crush in central Seoul’s multicultural Itaewon neighborhood. The tragedy claimed the lives of 159 people, mostly young Koreans and including over 25 foreign nationals, who had gathered in a sloped, narrow alley near Hamilton Hotel to celebrate Halloween on Oct. 29, 2022. Nearly 200 others were injured. The festive atmosphere suddenly gave…
It has been four years since the tragic crowd crush in central Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood, a tragedy that left 159 people dead and over 25 foreign nationals among the deceased. The incident occurred on October 29, 2022, when crowds gathered in a narrow, sloped alley near the Hamilton Hotel to celebrate Halloween. Nearly 200 others were injured.
The event marked a turning point in the discussion surrounding government's role in public safety. Prior to the incident, safety was generally viewed as an issue to be dealt with through relief and recovery measures after an accident had occurred. However, in the wake of the Itaewon crowd crush, safety has become increasingly recognized as a fundamental right, entitling individuals to expect proactive government action to prevent such disasters.
The tragedy also prompted a shift in the way society approached safety. Prior to the incident, the focus was often on providing relief and recovery after accidents. Post-Itaewon, safety has come to be seen as a right that demands preventative government intervention.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- 4 years on, lessons still unlearned koreatimes.co.kr
