The Yongsan District Office has announced a tender for a 1.4-kilometer, 383,292-square-meter road repair project in the Itaewon neighborhood. The area includes a narrow alley adjacent to the exit of the Itaewon subway station, where a tragic stampede that killed 159 people took place on the night of October 29, 2022.
The 830 million won ($623,886) project is expected to be completed in September, according to the Korean Times . The district office plans to pave the road with asphalt to reduce slipperiness.
Yongsan District will also install security cameras equipped with artificial intelligence technology to monitor crowd density and detect early signs of crowd control disasters at 70 locations throughout the neighborhood.
To ensure the safety of visitors during large-scale events such as the Itaewon Global Food Festival, which typically attracts about 1 million visitors each year, the district office will also take additional precautions. Authorities in other districts with similar large-scale events have also implemented road safety measures.
On the evening of October 29, 2022, an estimated 100,000 people flocked to the streets of Itaewon to participate in the Halloween festival - the largest festival held in the capital Seoul in many years after Covid-19 restrictions were eased.
However, the event quickly turned into a disaster after crowds poured into a steep alley near the Hamilton Hotel, causing many to suffocate from jostling and trampling.
This is the tragedy that caused the most deaths due to being trampled in Korean history (159 people, most of them in their 20s).
After the disaster, Itaewon has fallen out of favor with young Koreans. About four months after the deadly stampede, the entertainment districts around the nightlife district are strangely deserted.
Many stores have closed due to lack of customers. Business owners are also reluctant to rent space in this area, according to Chosun Ilbo .
Minh Hoa (t/h according to Zing, VNA)
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