South Korean President Orders New Probe into Fatal Halloween Crowd Crush

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has mandated the formation of a new probe team, involving police and prosecutors, to investigate the catastrophic Halloween crowd crush that took 159 lives, primarily of young people in 2022, according to his spokesperson on Thursday.

The initiative arises after President Lee's meeting with bereaved families from major recent disasters, including the fatal incident in Seoul's Itaewon district. Lee, who assumed office in June, is determined to enhance national safety and prevent repeats of such tragedies, historically attributed to poor official responses.

Accompanying the existing special commission on the investigation, this new team aims to provide deeper insights. During his engagement with victims' families, Lee issued a heartfelt apology for the state's failures, vowing renewed dedication to safeguarding citizen welfare as the government looks to enhance transparency and accountability.

(With inputs from agencies.)