Message of Condolence Regarding Seoul Halloween Stampede

November 2, 2022

As many of you know, on October 30, 2022, over 150 people lost their lives and an additional 133 were injured in a sudden human stampede that occurred in Seoul's Itaewon district, where a crowd of over 100,000 people gathered for Halloween festivities. Those who lost their lives were citizens of at least fourteen different countries, including 2 US students studying abroad at universities in Seoul, 2 Japanese nationals, and 4 Chinese nationals. While we are thankful our KU students studying in South Korea, including one FLAS fellow, have reported they are safe, our hearts go out to the deceased and the many families and friends of those who perished in this tragedy.  I, along with the KU Center for East Asian Studies family and our broader East Asia community, want to express my deepest condolences to those who are grieving at this time, particularly our friends, colleagues, and students with connections to South Korea. 

For our faculty and students from South Korea, we want to express our sadness that this has happened and acknowledge how hard it is to be far from home when something so disastrous occurs. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our Center, contact KU International Support Services, or seek a compassionate ear at the KU Counseling and Psychological Services and Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ . We are here to offer support and community at this heartbreaking time and our thoughts go out to South Korea during this season of mourning.

Akiko Takeyama, Director