19 foreigners killed in Itaewon stampede, no Malaysian victims identified

Rescue workers and firefighters are seen near the scene of the stampede in the neighbourhood of Itaewon in Seoul . - AFP

SEOUL: At least 19 foreigners have been confirmed dead in a stampede at Seoul's Itaewon district during Halloween celebrations, Yonhap News Agency quoted the fire authorities Sunday (Oct 30).

The death toll from Saturday's (Oct 29) accident rose to 151, with 19 of them identified as foreigners, Choi Seong Beom, head of the fire department in Yongsan, said in a briefing.

Their nationalities include those from Iran, Uzbekistan, China and Norway, Choi said.

As of 9am Sunday, a total of 151 people, including 19 foreigners, had 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.

President Yoon Suk Yeol addressed the nation live from the presidential office, saying Saturday's "tragedy and disaster should never have happened."

The president also announced a period of national mourning over the stampede.

The stampede marked the worst tragedy in South Korea since the 2014 sinking of the ferry Sewol that killed 304 people, mostly high school students.

It was the first Halloween event in Seoul in three years after the country lifted many Covid-19 restrictions. Most of the people on the streets were wearing Halloween costumes.

The exact cause of the accident is yet to be known. - Bernama