To Prevent the Itaewon Halloween Tragedy From Repeating Itself, 600 Police Secure the 2022 World Cup South Korea vs Uruguay Binge Watching Event in Central Seoul

South Korean supporters while watching with their national team in Seoul. (Wikimedia Commons/Korea.net)

JAKARTA - Around 600 police personnel will be deployed to control the crowd at Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul where thousands of South Korean national team supporters are expected to provide support when their favorite team competes in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has allowed the Red Devils, the name of the supporters of the South Korean national team, to use the main square, where South Koreans are used to holding a binge watching (nobar) event.

The permit came about a month after the Halloween tragedy in Itaewon, Seoul which killed around 158 people.

"A total of 41 police officers, along with eight police squads (comprising about 560 personnel), will be deployed at Gwanghwamun Square on Thursday to prevent overcrowding," said an official at the National Police Agency, reported by the Korea Times, November 24.

This Thursday, thousands of football fans from Ginseng Country are expected to provide support when the Taegeuk Warriors compete in the first match of Group H against Uruguay.

Meanwhile, up to 10.000 fans are expected to gather for the next two matches, facing Ghana on November 28 and Portugal on December 2.

In cooperation with the Red Devils and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, police will carry out security checks around Gwanghwamun Square, the nearest subway entrance, and other neighborhoods before the event begins, the official said.

Police will carry out real-time checks at spectator level, to prevent overcrowding and disperse fans from using different lanes when leaving the pitch after the game.

Apart from that, the police will also carry out crowd control in a nearby nightlife district, where large numbers of people are expected to witness the game.

Separately, a special police commando team will also be sent to anticipate the threat of explosions and terrorist attacks in these areas.