South Korea - Seoul creates memorial at site of deadly 2022 crowd crush

A man looks at flowers and notes left in memory of victims at the site of the October 29, 2022 crowd crush that killed more than 150 people during Halloween celebrations, in the popular Itaewon nightlife area in Seoul on October 25, 2023. - AFP

SEOUL (AFP): The narrow alleyway in South Korea's capital where nearly 160 people were crushed to death during Halloween festivities a year ago was designated a "Memorial Alley" on Thursday, victims' relatives said.

Tens of thousands of people -- mostly in their 20s and 30s -- had been out to enjoy the country's first post-pandemic holiday celebrations but the night turned deadly in Seoul's Itaewon district with no effective crowd control and bungled official responses to calls for help.