Police special unit, explosive-detection dogs conduct pre-event sweep
Six AI-enabled CCTV cameras to monitor crowd density across four alert levels
Safety fences and officers stationed throughout streets as patrols intensify
Around 5 p.m. Friday, the day before Halloween, eight police special unit members fanned out across the Itaewon area of Yongsan-gu, Seoul, accompanied by two explosive-detection dogs. The dogs pressed their noses against piles of trash along the roadside and sniffed around delivery boxes left in front of shops as the team moved through the streets. Officers opened mailboxes outside storefronts to inspect the interiors and checked that emergency call buttons were functioning properly.
An Dae-seon, head of the security division at Yongsan Police Station, who visited the scene that day, said 370 officers would be deployed on Halloween to manage crowds in coordination with the district office, fire department and other agencies. "We plan to strengthen preventive patrols by deploying seven detective teams, 20 members of the metropolitan crime-prevention patrol unit and six patrol cars assigned to the jurisdiction," An said.
An added that 10 additional special unit members had been stationed and were ready to respond if a dangerous situation arose or a related report came in. An armored vehicle was also deployed near the road beside the Hamilton Hotel — the site of the Oct. 29, 2022 Itaewon crowd crush — as a visible deterrent against crime.
Police expect larger crowds around Itaewon Station on Halloween, which falls on a Saturday this year, than last year, when about 30,000 people gathered in the area. Authorities have identified the period from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. the following morning as the peak congestion window.
Police plan to work with relevant agencies to manage crowd density across four levels — free-flowing, caution, congested and severely congested — with six sloped alleyways around the World Food Culture Street designated as key risk points. The slope beside the Hamilton Hotel, where the 2022 disaster occurred, is one of those alleyways.
"If conditions reach the severely congested level, we plan to block entry from both ends of the World Food Culture Street and guide pedestrians in a one-way flow downward through the sloped alleyways to ease density," An said. "We will also fully open Itaewon-ro as a pedestrian walkway, and at the final stage we are considering having trains bypass Itaewon Station without stopping."
Police also urged caution regarding Halloween costume props. An warned that carrying replica firearms could result in criminal penalties, and that even costume knives, if handled carelessly or used in pranks in crowded spaces, could lead to punishment under relevant laws.
A joint on-site operations center has been set up on the third floor of the nearby Yongsan Education and Welfare Center. Staff there monitor crowd density by zone through AI-enabled closed-circuit television cameras, while police, fire department and district office officials discuss response measures.
Baek In-gwan, safety planning team leader at the Yongsan-gu Office's safety and disaster division, said the center is monitoring six AI-enabled CCTV cameras installed along an approximately 300-meter stretch of the World Food Culture Street. "The AI-enabled CCTV system automatically tracks the number of people entering a zone and assesses congestion levels," Baek said.
Baek added that three cameras had also been installed on the rooftop of the Hamilton Hotel this year to capture a wider view of crowd movement. "We set it up so we can look down from above and monitor the flow of people across the entire street," Baek said.
Last year, authorities monitored conditions on the ground before convening a situation assessment meeting and restricting access to Itaewon Station at around 10:40 p.m. This year, control plans were drawn up in advance to prepare for larger crowds. Starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, the road running from the 119 safety center to Noksapyeong Square will be fully closed to traffic. Access to Itaewon Station will be adjusted by exit depending on congestion levels, and a full station closure has been prepared as an option if crowds reach the severely congested threshold.
Revelers fill the streets as others pause to mourn
As the clock passed 6 p.m. Friday, the quiet Itaewon streets began to fill. Groups in Halloween costumes appeared here and there, and foreign visitors of various nationalities were visible throughout the area. Bars blasting upbeat music were busy preparing to welcome customers.
Red safety fences had been erected along the center of the World Food Culture Street to manage pedestrian flow, and signs instructing people to keep to the right and prohibiting motorcycles from entering were posted. Police officers patrolled key intersections throughout the Itaewon Station area. Kim Seung-hye, 26, who came with a boyfriend, said she had stopped by briefly to enjoy the festival atmosphere before the crowds grew too large. "There are a lot of police around and safety fences are up, so I feel reassured," Kim said.
Amid the festive mood, a steady stream of visitors also came to pay their respects on the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush. Chrysanthemums left by members of the public were laid in the alleyway beside the Hamilton Hotel, the site of the disaster. Post-it notes bearing messages of condolence covered the walls. Lee, 30, who paused to look on, said the memory of first hearing the news remained vivid after five years of living in Itaewon. "Every time I pass through here, I feel a deep sense of sorrow," Lee said.
Meanwhile, police and the Ministry of Interior and Safety designated the period from Oct. 23 to Sunday as a special Halloween safety period and issued a "Caution" alert — the second level of the crisis warning system. During the period, some 7,800 personnel from metropolitan crime-prevention patrol units and mobile units are being deployed to manage safety at 28 priority management sites nationwide, including 14 locations in Seoul designated by the ministry.
newday@heraldcorp.com
