On the anniversary of a deadly Halloween crush, South Korean families demand a special investigation

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Bereaved relatives of victims of last year’s devastating Halloween crush in Seoul and their supporters have demanded an independent investigation of the disaster as they marked the anniversary with a massive memorial service. The crush, one of the biggest peacetime disasters in South Korea, killed 159 people, most of them in their 20s and 30s who had gathered in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district in Seoul, for Halloween celebrations. On the anniversary Sunday, the families, activists and others visited the Itaewon area and offered condolences at an alley where the crush happened. They chanted slogans asking President Yoon Suk Yeol to offer a more sincere apology and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min to resign over the disaster.