A South African English teacher at a primary school who preferred to go by the name Stan told local media that his co-taughters had questioned him about whether it would be appropriate to give students Halloween activities this year because” it might still be vulnerable subject.”
Department stores, which generally erect Halloween decorations and set up pop-up booths, are not hosting Halloween-related events this year, and supermarket chains are also cutting back on their Halloween offerings and avoiding marketing events with a Halloween theme.
Officials claim that in order to control crowds for the Halloween season from October 27 to November 1, extra security measures are being taken.
During this time, the authorities will station 1, 260 officials daily in crowded areas like Hongdae, Itaywon, and Gangnam. Seoul’s 16 congested alleyways will also be closely watched for crowds.
Experts point to West Koreans’ reduced health awareness and insufficient disaster response systems, which belie the nation’s reputation as a highly industrialized nation. However, it is still unclear whether South Korea has learned anything from the disaster.
Record-breaking rainfall fell across the nation this summer, leaving more than 50 people missing and deceased. The high casualties were attributed to poor response and inadequate precautions.
Authorities in the southwestern area of Cheongju failed to stop customers despite storm warnings, and 25 people perished in July when their cars became stuck in a flooded underground tunnel.
The original version of this article appeared on SCMP.