Police to deploy about 7,800 personnel ahead of Halloween; acting police chief inspects Itaewon

[Financial News] Ahead of Halloween, police will mobilize a cumulative total of about 7,800 officers to manage safety in major crowd-concentration areas nationwide. Kim Jong-cheol, acting chief of the Korean National Police Agency, visited Itaewon in Seoul to inspect the on-site response system.
The Korean National Police Agency said acting chief Kim visited the Itaewon Special Tourist Zone in Yongsan District, Seoul, on the morning of the 30th to review safety measures for Halloween crowds.
After receiving a briefing on the safety management plan from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, acting chief Kim patrolled the Itaewon Special Tourist Zone and inspected the on-site response. He then visited the memorial space on the “10·29 Road of Memory and Safety,” laid flowers, observed a moment of silence and paid tribute to the victims of the Itaewon disaster.
Acting chief Kim called for thorough safety management, as this year’s Halloween coincides with the last Saturday of October and large crowds are expected on the 30th and 31st. He also ordered that response capabilities be focused on preventing serious crimes, including knife attacks targeting random members of the public, as well as terrorism at crowded venues.
Police designated the period from the 23rd through the 1st of next month as a special Halloween response period and, together with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), raised the crisis alert to the “Caution” level and are implementing safety measures.
Police will deploy a cumulative total of about 7,800 personnel, including police mobile units, metropolitan crime prevention patrol units and detectives, with a focus on the 28 priority areas nationwide designated by MOIS. Fourteen of those areas are in Seoul.
Working with local governments, police supported advance safety measures, including clearing freestanding signs and other items left in places where crowds gather and inspecting vulnerable facilities such as ventilation grilles and manholes.
During the special response period, police will also take part in a joint on-site command post (CP) to share information in real time and coordinate responses with relevant agencies. They plan to dispatch 112 calls related to crowding at “Code 1” or higher to ensure a swift response.
At the scene, pedestrian routes will be separated and one-way traffic encouraged in places where congestion is a concern, such as bottlenecks. If crowds build up, police plan to regulate the number of people entering from the outer perimeter and use vehicle controls to secure space for dispersing the crowds.
Police are also stepping up vigilance to prevent serious crimes and terrorism. They are concentrating metropolitan prevention patrol units and other teams in busy commercial districts and around subway stations, and strengthening checks and searches for possession of imitation firearms or knives under the guise of Halloween costumes, as well as the wearing of police uniforms, which is prohibited by law. Counterterrorism prevention efforts will also include deploying the SOU to conduct visible patrols.


[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter