Yongsan-gu to Deploy 2,550 Personnel in Itaewon for Halloween... Use Crowd Data for Proactive Response

165,000 Visitors Expected on Halloween
Special Measures Period: October 23-November 1

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Kim Gyeongdae), will deploy about 2,550 on-site safety personnel from the district office, police and fire services across Itaewon ahead of Halloween. The district plans to use real-time crowd data, including information from intelligent closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and subway alightings, to respond proactively to congestion.

A Safety Management Committee meeting. Provided by Yongsan-gu.

On October 19, the district announced that it had designated the 10 days from October 23 through November 1 as a special Halloween safety measures period and would implement safety management measures. Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, this year. Based on visitor trends over the past three years, the district expects about 165,000 people to visit areas of Itaewon, including World Food Street and Quinoneu-gil, during the period.

Since September, the district has held three meetings with relevant organizations, including Yongsan Police Station, Yongsan Fire Station, Seoul Metro, Unit 3537 and the Itaewon Merchants Volunteer Group, to draw up a safety management plan. The personnel will handle fire prevention; safety, order and traffic management; responses to terrorism and crime; medical and emergency care; facility inspections; and cleaning. During the period, a joint situation room for the relevant organizations will operate near World Food Street.

The centerpiece of this year's measures is a tiered response system using real-time crowd data. Drawing on crowd data collected last year, the district has refined its four-level congestion assessment criteria. It will assess crowding by combining data from intelligent CCTV cameras, the Yongsan Real-Time Smart Map, the number of people exiting at Itaewon Station, Seoul Real-Time Urban Data and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's crowd-gathering alert system. If a risk alert is issued, staff will immediately check the scene using CCTV and respond.

The Disaster and Safety Situation Room and the Integrated Control Center will closely monitor not only the Itaewon Special Tourist Zone but also areas expected to draw crowds, including Haebangchon, Gyeongnidan-gil and Yongridan-gil. From October 12 through 22, the district is inspecting the operating status of 218 cameras and 49 emergency bells installed at 59 locations across Itaewon, as well as their connection to the control center.

Starting October 30, the Halloween weekend, a disaster scene command bus will be stationed at the site. Since October 12, the district has been intensively cracking down on items obstructing sidewalks and illegal parking. On October 21, it plans to conduct a joint on-site inspection with relevant organizations to eliminate potential hazards in advance.

“Nothing comes before the safety of our residents and visitors,” District Mayor Kim Gyeongdae said. “We will work closely with relevant organizations and do everything possible to ensure safety without the slightest lapse through the final day.” He added, “We ask visitors to cooperate fully with on-site guidance and controls so that we can make Halloween safe together.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.