Yongsan to deploy 2,550 personnel in Itaewon to prevent repeat of Halloween tragedy

Yongsan District Office will deploy about 2,550 personnel across Itaewon from Oct. 23 to Nov. 1 to manage Halloween crowds. Authorities expect 165,000 visitors and will combine patrols with real-time data monitoring to prevent a repeat of the 2022 crowd crush, which killed 159 people. The plan includes a four-stage congestion index, expanded surveillance and a mobile disaster command bus.

The safety operation will cover World Food Street, Haebangchon, Gyeongnidan-gil and Yongnidan-gil, with personnel from the district office, police, fire stations, Seoul Metro, military units and merchant volunteer groups.

Yongsan’s congestion index integrates intelligent closed-circuit television cameras, the Yongsan Real-Time Smart Map, subway passenger arrival counts, Seoul’s live urban data stream and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s crowd notification system.

Authorities inspected 218 cameras and 49 emergency bells at 59 locations before the Halloween period.

A mobile disaster command bus will be stationed in Itaewon starting Oct. 30 to support information sharing and tactical coordination.

Joint inspections scheduled for Oct. 21 will target street clutter, illegal parking and other physical hazards before the crowds arrive.

Published Oct 19, 2026 10:23 am KST

Updated Oct 19, 2026 10:57 am KST

Real-time monitoring, 4-stage alert system to direct emergency response steps

Yongsan District Office officials discuss crowd control measures for the upcoming Halloween season at a meeting in Yongsan, Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Yongsan District Office

With the approach of Oct. 31, a Saturday that promises packed streets and spirited celebrations, local authorities in the heart of the capital are taking no chances.

The Yongsan District Office announced a comprehensive safety mobilization Monday for the upcoming Halloween season, deploying thousands of personnel and leveraging real-time data technology to safeguard visitors in the bustling Itaewon neighborhood.

The heightened security measures reflect a deep, ongoing commitment to preventing any repetition of the tragic 2022 Halloween crowd crush, which claimed 159 lives in a narrow alleyway in Itaewon. In the years since, local authorities and disaster response agencies have completely overhauled urban safety protocols, turning the nightlife district into a testing ground for real-time crowd management.

Running Oct. 23 to Nov. 1, a special 10-day safety enforcement period aims to manage an anticipated crowd of 165,000 visitors across popular nightlife corridors such as the World Food Street. The comprehensive plan blends boots-on-the-ground vigilance with advanced digital monitoring.

A combined force of approximately 2,550 personnel from the district office, the local police and fire stations, Seoul Metro, military units and merchant volunteer groups will patrol the area. Operating out of a joint command center near the World Food Street, these teams will handle specialized tasks ranging from fire prevention and crowd control to medical triage, facility inspections and sanitation management.

At the core of the district’s strategy is a sophisticated, data-driven tiered response system, according to district officials.

Building on patterns recorded over recent years, Yongsan officials have refined a four-stage congestion index. This framework synthesizes feeds from intelligent closed-circuit television cameras, the Yongsan Real-Time Smart Map, subway station passenger arrival counts, Seoul’s live urban data stream and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s crowd notification system. Whenever a density threshold is breached, the integrated control center immediately reviews live camera feeds to orchestrate a prompt, targeted intervention.

Beyond the core Itaewon tourist zone, authorities are widening their surveillance net to encompass surrounding hotspots including Haebangchon, Gyeongnidan-gil and Yongnidan-gil. Ahead of the festivities, inspections covered 218 cameras and 49 emergency bells across 59 locations to ensure seamless communication with the central hub. Furthermore, starting Oct. 30, a mobile disaster command bus will be stationed on-site to facilitate rapid information sharing and tactical coordination during the peak weekend hours.

Preventative housekeeping is also underway.

Since Oct. 12, district officials said they intensified crackdowns on street clutter and illegal parking, while pre-event joint inspections scheduled for Oct. 21 aim to eliminate physical hazards before crowds arrive. Public service announcements on electronic billboards and banners throughout the district continue to remind revelers of safety protocols.

“Nothing takes precedence over the safety of our residents and visitors,” Yongsan District head Kim Gyeong-dae said. “We will work in close coordination with relevant agencies to leave no loopholes in our safety measures through the very last day.”

He added, “We ask visitors to fully cooperate with on-site guidance and crowd control so that we can ensure a safe Halloween together.”

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

龙山区政府将于10月23日至11月1日期间在梨泰院部署约2550名工作人员，以应对万圣节期间的人流。当局预计将有16.5万名游客，并将结合巡逻和实时数据监控，以防止2022年造成159人死亡的踩踏事件重演。该计划包括四级拥堵指数、扩大监控范围以及配备移动灾害指挥巴士。

安全行动将覆盖世界美食街、解防村、京尼团路和永尼团路，参与人员包括区政府、警察局、消防局、首尔地铁、军队和商户志愿者团体。

龙山交通拥堵指数综合了智能闭路电视摄像机、龙山实时智能地图、地铁乘客到达人数、首尔实时城市数据流以及行政安全部的拥挤通知系统。

万圣节前夕，有关部门检查了 59 个地点的 218 个摄像头和 49 个紧急铃铛。

一辆移动灾害指挥巴士将于10月30日起驻扎在梨泰院，以支持信息共享和战术协调。

定于 10 月 21 日进行的联合检查将重点关注街道杂物、非法停车和其他安全隐患，以防人群涌入。

发布于2026年10月19日上午10:23（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月19日上午10:57（韩国标准时间）

实时监控，四级警报系统指导应急响应步骤

周一，首尔龙山区龙山区政府官员在龙山召开会议，讨论即将到来的万圣节期间的人群控制措施。图片由龙山区政府提供。

随着 10 月 31 日星期六的临近，预计当天街道将人山人海，庆祝活动也将十分热烈，首都中心地带的地方当局不敢掉以轻心。

龙山区政府周一宣布，为即将到来的万圣节活动，将采取全面的安全动员措施，部署数千名工作人员并利用实时数据技术来保障熙熙攘攘的梨泰院地区的游客安全。

这些加强的安保措施体现了当局为防止2022年万圣节梨泰院踩踏事件重演而做出的持续努力。那场悲剧发生在梨泰院一条狭窄的巷子里，造成159人丧生。此后几年，地方政府和灾害应对机构彻底改革了城市安全规程，并将夜生活区打造成了实时人群管理的试验场。

从10月23日至11月1日，为期10天的特别安全执法行动旨在管控预计将涌入世界美食街等热门夜生活区域的16.5万名游客。这项综合计划结合了实地巡逻和先进的数字监控。

由区政府、当地警察局、消防局、首尔地铁、军队和商户志愿者团体组成的约2550人联合力量将在该区域巡逻。这些队伍将在世界美食街附近的联合指挥中心开展行动，负责执行包括防火、人群控制、医疗分诊、设施检查和卫生管理等在内的各项专项任务。

据学区官员称，该学区战略的核心是一套复杂的、数据驱动的分层响应系统。

基于近年来记录的交通拥堵模式，龙山市政府完善了一套四阶段拥堵指数。该指数综合了来自智能闭路电视摄像头、龙山实时智能地图、地铁站客流量统计、首尔市实时城市数据流以及行政安全部人群预警系统的数据。一旦拥堵密度超过阈值，综合控制中心会立即查看实时摄像头画面，以便迅速采取针对性干预措施。

除了梨泰院核心旅游区外，当局正在扩大监控范围，将周边热点区域，包括解防村、京尼团路和龙尼团路，也纳入监控范围。在节庆活动开始前，当局对59个地点的218个摄像头和49个紧急呼叫装置进行了检查，以确保与中央指挥中心保持畅通的通信。此外，从10月30日起，一辆移动灾害指挥车将驻扎在现场，以便在周末高峰时段快速共享信息和进行战术协调。

预防性清洁工作也在进行中。

自10月12日起，区政府官员表示，他们加大了对街道杂物和违章停车的整治力度。同时，定于10月21日举行的活动前联合检查旨在消除人群聚集前的安全隐患。此外，区内各处的电子广告牌和横幅也持续发布公共服务公告，提醒参与者注意安全事项。

龙山区区长金京大表示：“居民和游客的安全高于一切。我们将与相关部门密切合作，确保安全措施万无一失，直至最后一刻。”

他补充道：“我们要求游客全力配合现场的指导和人流控制措施，以便我们能够共同度过一个安全的万圣节。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。