Huge crowd at South Korea fireworks sparks safety concern after deadly 2022 crush

SEOUL - A large fireworks festival in South Korea drawing a massive crowd on Oct 5 has snarled traffic through its busy capital, prompted police to deploy 2,400 officers and sent the rates of some hotel rooms with a view above 10 million won (S$9,680).

The popular annual event has taken on a serious public safety dimension as memory is still fresh of a Halloween night disaster two years ago that killed 159 mostly young people in a crush of crowd packed in a dense entertainment district.

Many of the more than 1 million spectators, who were expected to watch the 90-minute show, have been camping out since midnight to secure a spot with a view of the event scheduled to start at 7.20pm (Singapore time 6.20pm) over the Han River that runs through Seoul.

Mr Oh Soo-taek, 64, who said he has been coming to the festival with his wife for three years, found the place already crowded when they got there at 2pm, but said it was exciting to be part of an event bringing so many families and friends together.

“We had that big accident two years ago so it’s so good to see the organisers and the police and everyone helping each other and keeping order.”

Many restaurants, bars and hotel rooms on Yeouido island on the river and on its banks with a view of the fireworks by teams from Japan, South Korea and the United States had been booked days ahead.

High-floor suites at one luxury hotel on Yeouido were sold out at more than 10 million won on Oct 5, nearly double the normal rate, despite the less than perfect view of the fireworks they offered, a reservation official said.

The event is hosted by the Hanwha conglomerate, which has grown from a dynamite maker to a global defence contractor, and its team participates in a fireworks