In South Korea, jail time awaits Halloween police impersonators

Four years ago, party-goers dressed as police officers were reportedly mistaken for the real thing amid a deadly crowd crush in South Korea’s capital.

Now, as Seoul prepares for its fourth Halloween since the disaster, police have launched a week-long nationwide crackdown on imitation police uniforms and equipment, aiming to stop any such confusion from happening again.

The nationwide operation, announced by the National Police Agency on Sunday, runs until Monday next week. More than 4,500 officers are also being deployed to Itaewon, Hongdae, Seongsu-dong, Myeong-dong and Ikseon-dong to ensure crowd safety, Yonhap reported.

The crowd crush in Itaewon on October 29, 2022 killed more than 150 people. Confusion over imitation police uniforms hindered official rescue efforts, according to The Korea Times.

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Wearing or owning an imitation police uniform is a criminal offence in South Korea, with penalties ranging up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 3 million won (US$2,300). A separate law bars civilians from wearing military uniforms or clothing that could be confused with them.

As part of this year’s crackdown, police are working with the Korea Online Shopping Association to monitor 54 major online retailers and block searches for terms such as “police uniform”, according to The Korea Times. Officers would also patrol popular Seoul party spots such as Itaewon and Hongdae to ensure compliance, the paper reported.

A police official quoted by The Korea Herald urged party-goers not to wear Halloween costumes that could cause alarm or “stir unease”, including those that featured prop guns or knives.

Police-themed outfits, even those that do not legally count as imitation uniforms, could be mistaken for genuine attire at night or in crowded areas, officials warned.

Patrols have also been stepped up in Seoul to ease public anxiety after a series of stabbing attacks, The Korea Herald reported. The latest, at a shopping centre in Incheon on October 13, left eight people injured.

Vehicle access to five of Seoul’s busiest districts will also be restricted from Friday to Monday as part of the police operation, according to Yonhap.

Meanwhile, the National Fire Agency has announced a parallel crowd safety support plan covering 28 priority areas chosen by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety – Itaewon and Hongdae among them.

A “Halloween situation task force” will oversee the national response to any mass casualty incident, according to local news outlet Chosun Biz, with 19 city and provincial fire headquarters setting up their own on-site task forces to monitor crowds in real time.

Inspectors will check pinch points and bottlenecks, and ambulances will be pre-positioned in key areas, the outlet reported.

“Protecting the public’s safety during the Halloween period, when crowds concentrate, is the most important duty of the fire service,” said Choi Yong-chol, commissioner of the National Fire Agency, according to Chosun Biz.

“We will thoroughly block risk factors in advance, and in the event of any situation, we will do our utmost to protect the public’s lives and safety through proactive responses.”