[Edaily Reporter WON DA YEON ] Police inspected crowd safety management measures ahead of Halloween. The police plan to respond promptly to 112 calls related to crowds by classifying them as “Code 1” or higher.

Kim Jong-cheol, Acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, visited the Itaewon Special Tourist Zone on the morning of the 30th—a location expected to draw large crowds on Halloween—to personally inspect safety management measures.

While on site that day, Acting Commissioner Kim received a briefing on safety management measures from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and personally patrolled the streets of the Itaewon Special Tourist Zone to review the implementation of Halloween safety protocols. He also took time to pay respects to the victims and reflect on the tragedy by laying flowers and observing a moment of silence at the “Memorial Space” established along the “October 29 Path of Remembrance and Safety.”

Acting Governor Kim urged, “Since Halloween falls on the last Saturday of October this year, large crowds are expected on the 30th and 31st, so please ensure that every possible measure is taken to ensure safety.” He also directed authorities to focus their efforts on thoroughly responding to and preventing violent crimes—such as “knife attacks” targeting the general public—as well as acts of terrorism in crowded public spaces.

The police are implementing safety measures for Halloween crowds during the special Halloween response period, which runs through November 1, after raising the crisis alert to the “Caution” level in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Accordingly, centered on the 28 “priority management areas” nationwide designated by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the police are deploying approximately 7,800 officers—including Mobile Police Units, Metropolitan Crime Prevention Patrol Units, and detectives—to carry out safety management activities throughout the special measures period.

In addition to conducting its own situation management, the police are participating in joint on-site command posts (CPs) with relevant agencies, such as local governments, to share information in real time and coordinate responses. The police plan to prioritize 112 calls related to large crowds with a “Code 1” or higher designation to ensure a swift response.

In key management areas, the police are collaborating with local governments to preemptively manage crowds—such as by separating traffic lanes at vulnerable points like bottlenecks and implementing one-way traffic—to prevent congestion. Furthermore, when there is concern about crowd congestion, they focus on preventing casualties by regulating the inflow of people from the outskirts and controlling vehicle traffic to secure space for dispersing crowds.

Furthermore, to prevent crimes such as “knife attacks,” the police are concentrating the deployment of wide-area preventive patrol units in downtown areas and around train stations. They are also strengthening checks and searches for individuals carrying mock firearms or knives under the guise of Halloween costumes, as well as those wearing police uniforms prohibited by law.