The same number of police officers are dispatched as there are people... There is a sense of tension in Itaewon as it marks the first Halloween since the crowd accident = South Korean report

"There were a lot of police officers, so I felt safer than last year." One year has passed since the crowd accident in Itaewon in 2022, and the Halloween period has begun again on the 27th.
There was an unusually tense atmosphere in the alley. Many police officers and ward office staff were deployed to control vehicles and passersby, and the tension could be seen on the faces of citizens visiting Itaewon. But the street
As we are restricting the number of people in the area, there are no situations of concern. On the 27th, in front of Exit 1 of Itaewon Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, there were statues of victims who died in a crowd accident last year.
It was crowded with citizens paying their respects to the deceased and office workers on their way home. Citizens saw the police and civil servants deployed to prevent accidents, and unanimously said that the current safety management system must continue.
. Police set up iron fences on the road in front of Exit 1 and Exit 4 of Itaewon Station starting at 4 p.m. to restrict the number of people in the area, and set up lane controls for cars. There are iron doors all over the restaurant area.
Police and local government officials were stationed along with fences to guide passersby so that they could move in one direction. Illegally parked vehicles near the sidewalk were moved to other locations following police guidance.
Han Joo-hee (33), who saw the situation, said, ``I think it's a good thing to take measures like this because there was a serious accident last year,'' and ``I'm still a little worried, but...
I think it's safer than before." Seoul Transportation Corporation is also controlling the flow of people to ensure smooth movement of people on their way home. One-way traffic signs are posted on the walls of each entrance/exit of subway stations.
There is a sign posted indicating which entrances and exits can be used. On the platform, a message was repeatedly played saying, ``The station will be crowded, so please follow the directions.''
From around 6 p.m., the number of citizens visiting Itaewon began to increase little by little. Yongsan Ward Office staff and local firefighters patrolled on foot, holding safety sticks and blowing whistles.
. The route bus passed through a stop near Itaewon Station starting at 5 p.m. As a safety measure during the Halloween period, there will be no bus service at each bus stop between 5pm and 3am until the 29th.
A notice has been posted. Citizens say that although police and local governments have stepped up their response from a year ago, more care must be taken to prevent accidents. Ji who lives in Dongjak District
Mr. Yong (22) said, ``If we start (safety management) early, every corner of the alley will be safe on Halloween,'' but added, ``Citizens are not informed of safety measures and guidelines, and I feel anxious.''
remains,” he said. Kwon (22), who was visiting Itaewon with Jung, said, ``Considering last year's accident, I don't think there is any perfect countermeasure.''
"We cannot say that our countermeasures are sufficient yet, so we must continue to supplement them," he added. As citizens pointed out, there were also some disturbing spots in Itaewon's alleys. Yongsan Ward Office
To prevent accidents caused by slips and falls, officials sprinkled sand on the slope leading from the restaurant area to Itaewon Station and laid cardboard on top of it. However, the cardboard is not fixed to the ground.
It moved easily when held in the hand or hooked on the foot. An unfixed rubber board was placed over the drain installed on the right side of the slope.
Jang Rae-min, 25, from Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do, said, ``There was nothing spread out on the ground.
I think it would be better to remove the cardboard boxes now, as they seem to be even more dangerous." Mr. Chan said, ``It's a slope, so if someone walks over the cardboard, there's a risk that their feet will get caught or they'll slip.''
``We must further improve (safety measures) in the future.'' Around 7 p.m. that day, the Yongsan Ward Office removed the cardboard that had been spread on the slope and removed the sand that had been scattered on the ground.
Swept up. Ward staff instructed staff stationed around the area to ``please be careful as the alley is slippery,'' and then left the scene.
The Seoul National Police Agency announced on the 24th that it will implement safety measures in preparation for the crowds that will gather to enjoy Halloween from the 27th to the 31st of this month.
announced. During this period, police stations in major areas such as Mapo, Yongsan, and Gangnam will strengthen their vigilance, and a total of 1,260 people, including officers from 12 police stations and riot police, will be stationed on the streets.
Ru. In line with this, police announced that they will remove dangerous obstacles on roads and sidewalks, and work with the Seoul Transportation Corporation to prevent serious crimes within subway stations, where crowds are expected.
On the other hand, there were voices that said that the safety measures taken by the police and local government were going too far. Some citizens are not responding to the fact that walking is restricted by fences erected on narrow streets.
I complained to the police that it was too much. Mr. Lee (47), who delivers food throughout the restaurant district, said, ``We are contracted to deliver food to all the restaurants, but we have been unable to work because of the traffic restrictions.''
"I still have to ask the police to come here," he said, complaining of the inconvenience. A person who runs a restaurant nearby said, ``No one comes in because the road is blocked,'' and ``The people who died...
It is natural to pay tribute to him, but I wonder if we really need to go this far."