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Candlelight vigils mourn South Korea Halloween disaster victims
Candlelight vigils and rallies were held in South Korea on Saturday to commemorate the 156 people killed in a Halloween crowd crush.
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Mourners take part in a candlelight vigil to commemorate the 156 people killed in the October 29 Halloween crowd crush, in the resort island of Jeju on November 5, 2022. (AFP/Suhyuk Chai)
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andlelight vigils and rallies were held in South Korea on Saturday to commemorate the 156 people killed in a Halloween crowd crush, with public anger growing over one of the country's deadliest peacetime disasters.
The victims, mostly young people, were among the estimated 100,000 that had flocked to the capital Seoul's popular Itaewon nightlife district to celebrate the first post-pandemic Halloween.
South Korean law enforcement officials have conceded that there was insufficient safety planning for a crowd that large, and opposition politicians have accused President Yoon Suk-yeol's government of not taking responsibility for the disaster.
Thousands gathered in central Seoul at a candlelight vigil organised by a civic group linked to South Korea's main opposition party, with many holding signs that said: "Step down, Yoon Suk-yeol."
"I think I will live with the anxiety that one day I may suffer such an accident as well," said participant Yoo Da-eun, 23.
"In fact, even when I was coming here, I was worried that something would happen because of the large crowds."
The organisers -- who had also held anti-government rallies prior to the disaster -- said they were conducting similar vigils in other cities including Busan and Gwangju.
