SEOUL, - The National Fire Agency has announced that intensive crowd control measures will be implemented in the country's four most crowded entertainment areas, including Itaewon and Hongdae, during the upcoming Halloween period.
According to a news release by Yonhap News Agency, these measures are being prepared in light of the first Halloween weekend since last year's tragic crowd crush in Itaewon that claimed the lives of 159 individuals. The agency plans to implement a series of intensive crowd management measures in Seoul's Itaewon, Hongdae, and Myeongdong areas, as well as in Dongseong-ro in the southeastern city of Daegu, from Friday to next Thursday.
Emergency management officers will be dispatched to each of the four areas, and on-site command posts will operate until all crowds disperse. Nighttime patrols will also be intensified to prevent accidents. An expanded number of emergency rescuers and ambulances will be on standby, and hospital beds will be pre-allocated for emergency situations. Fire authorities have been conducting fire safety inspections since last week to ensure the safety of large crowds expected during Halloween celebrations.