South Korea parliament approves new probe into deadly 2022 Halloween crush
Al JazeeraAPR 2024
S.Korea: Lee Orders New Probe Into 2022 Halloween Crush
Above: The site of the Seoul Halloween crowd crush on Nov. 18, 2022, in Seoul, South Korea. Image copyright: Chris Jung/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
This new investigation represents a crucial step toward finally uncovering the truth about what really happened that tragic night. The families have waited far too long for answers, and the previous investigations clearly fell short of providing the transparency and accountability they deserve. Lee's decision to involve both police and prosecutors shows he's serious about getting to the bottom of this preventable disaster.
Government-critical narrative
While another investigation might seem like progress, it's really just more political theater designed to appease grieving families without delivering real results. The facts are already clear — this was a crowd management failure that cost 159 lives. What's needed isn't more investigations but concrete reforms, like an integrated national risk governance system, all-hazards approach to crowd control and a nationwide safety culture overhaul to prevent future tragedies.