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During a hearing on the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster, survivor Min Seong-ho provided a detailed account of the desperate situation he faced on the day of the tragedy, expressing regret over delays in rescue efforts.

Itaewon Disaster Survivor Shares Traumatic Memories at Hearing

During a hearing of the Special Investigation Committee, established to uncover the truth and prevent recurrence of the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster, held at Bank Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, survivor Min Seong-ho recounted the horrific scene he witnessed. Min stated that on October 29, 2022, he had gone to Itaewon for the Halloween festival and became trapped in the disaster zone. He recalled that the crowd was already dense when he arrived at Itaewon Station around 7:29 PM.

'100 Lives Could Have Been Saved with 10-Minute Earlier Rescue,' Survivor Alleges Delays

Min testified that around 10:00 PM, after leaving a pub, he was pushed into the direction of the disaster alley and it took him 55 minutes to move just five steps. He recounted being trapped for an hour, from 10 PM to 11 PM, during which he experienced three major surges of pushing, and his chest was so compressed that breathing became difficult. He added that he heard women's voices around him crying 'Help me,' 'I can't breathe,' and 'I'm going to die,' and by around 10:40 PM, he was gripped by the fear that he might not survive. Fortunately, he borrowed a friend's phone to call his mother, saying, 'Mom, it's Seong-ho, I'm dying.' He was later rescued by a soldier, who led him to the stairs behind the Waikiki Pub. Min recounted seeing people sprawled on the ground and others receiving CPR when he was rescued around 11:10 AM, expressing regret that 100 people could have been saved if rescue teams had arrived just 10 minutes earlier.

*Source: YouTube: KBS News (2026-03-12)*

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