Seoul vows full investigation into deadly Halloween stampede that killed 154, injured 149

On Monday, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck Soo promised a thorough investigation into the Halloween crush that killed more than 150 people in the capital over the weekend, and plunged the country into a week of mourning.

Officials said the death toll had risen overnight to 154 with 149 injured, 33 of who were in a serious condition. Citizens from at least two dozen countries were among the dead.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of party-goers had crowded into narrow streets and alleyways of Seoul's popular Itaewon district for the first virtually-unrestricted Halloween festivities in three years. Many of the revellers were in their teens or twenties, and dressed in costume.

However, chaos erupted when people poured into one particularly narrow and sloping alley, even after it was already packed, witnesses said.

On Monday morning, people laid white chrysanthemums, drinks and candles at a small makeshift altar off an exit of the Itaewon subway station — a few steps away from the site of the crush.

"It doesn't matter how they died, or why they died. Those poor people, all at similar ages to my grandchildren, they died anyway," said Jung Si Hoon, a retiree and a church elder, who placed an old wooden cross at the altar.

"What more should we say? We should pray for them and wish they rest in peace."

Shops and cafes nearby were closed, and the police cordoned off the site of the incident, which was strewn with trash.

Schools, kindergartens and companies around the country scrapped planned Halloween events. K-pop concerts and government briefings were also cancelled.

"The government will undertake a thorough investigation into what caused this accident and do its best to make necessary institutional changes so that such an accident is not repeated," Han said as government officials met to discuss the disaster.

"Identification has been completed for all of the 154 deceased except one, and I believe it is time for follow-up measures such as funeral procedures to be carried out in earnest," Han said.

"We will do our best to provide necessary support by reflecting the opinions of the bereaved families as much as possible."

The sinking of the Sewol, and criticism of the official response, sent shockwaves across South Korea, prompting widespread soul-searching over safety measures in the country that are likely to be renewed in the wake of Saturday's crush.