Seoul: Itaewon, the site of Saturday's deadly stampede that killed at least 151 people, is known for its hip nightlife and chic restaurants, making it a favourite hangout among young people in their 20s and beyond.
Itaewon's bars and clubs have long served American troops stationed in the country as the neighbourhood is located near the former main garrison of the US Forces Korea (USFK) in central Seoul.
The district is also home to many foreign embassies, ambassadors' residences and houses of worship for minor religions in South Korea, such as Islam and Judaism, Yonhap news agency reported.
With the relocation of the USFK headquarters to Pyeongtaek, 65 kilometres south of Seoul, Itaewon began to shed its image associated with American troops and reemerged as a vibrant entertainment and shopping district.
The neighbourhood also became the centre of attention as President Yoon Suk-yeol relocated the presidential office to the former Defence Ministry compound near Itaewon in May.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic dealt a serious blow to businesses in Itaewon and Saturday's Halloween festivities had been hoped to mark another return to life after the pandemic.
At least 151 people have been killed while 82 others were injured in a deadly stampede in Seoul's Itaewon district as huge crowds of partygoers, many in their late teens and 20s, converged in the entertainment district for late-night Halloween celebrations.
The deadliest stampede in South Korea's history happened on Saturday night in a narrow downhill alley near Hamilton Hotel in the famous nightlife district after tens of thousands of people visited the area for Halloween, Yonhap news agency reported.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT – At least 149 people, mostly teenagers and young adults in their 20s, were killed in South Korea when a crowd celebrating Halloween surged into an alley in a night-life area of Seoul https://t.co/ZBB3cKhxO5 pic.twitter.com/evlVibGuUw— Reuters (@Reuters) October 29, 2022
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT – At least 149 people, mostly teenagers and young adults in their 20s, were killed in South Korea when a crowd celebrating Halloween surged into an alley in a night-life area of Seoul https://t.co/ZBB3cKhxO5 pic.twitter.com/evlVibGuUw
As of 9 a.m. Sunday, a total of 151 people, including 19 foreigners, have been killed and 82 others injured, 19 of them seriously, according to Choi Seong-beom, head of the fire department in Yongsan, which includes Itaewon.
Of the deceased, 97 are female and 54 are male, Choi said.
The foreigners killed include those from Iran, Uzbekistan, China and Norway, he added.
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