South Korean Officials Admit Responsibility in Halloween Tragedy

South Korean Officials Admit Responsibility in Halloween Tragedy
A man weeps as he pays tribute to victims of a deadly accident following Saturday night's Halloween festivities on a street near the scene in Seoul, South Korea, on Nov. 1, 2022. Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

SEOUL, South Korea—South Korean officials admitted responsibility and apologized on Tuesday for failures in preventing and responding to a Halloween crowd surge that killed more than 150 people and left citizens shocked and angry.

The government is facing growing public scrutiny over whether the crush Saturday night in Seoul’s Itaewon district, a popular nightlife neighborhood, could have been prevented and who should take responsibility for the country’s worst disaster in years.