South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s handling of a deadly crowd surge that killed more than 150 people will give him a chance to prove to critics he can lead, or hand his opponents more fodder to paint his administration as incompetent.
Yoon convened emergency meetings just hours after the crush occurred late Saturday night in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon, where tens of thousands were celebrating Halloween. He quickly pledged medical and financial support to victims and their families, and vowed there would be thorough investigations and reviews of safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.
He visited the site on Sunday morning and gave a televised speech announcing a mourning period, saying he is struggling to cope with grief because it was his responsibility as president to keep people safe. Later that afternoon, he designated Itaewon a special disaster zone, giving authorities access to emergency relief and special administrative and financial support to carry out their work and render aid to victims.