Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan "devastated" by deadly stampede in Seoul, South Korea
BALTIMORE -- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan expressed his condolences to the country of South Korea Saturday following a deadly stampede in Seoul that killed around 150 people and injured dozens more.
The stampede occurred during the city's Halloween festivities. By Saturday night, South Korean officials said they had a tally of at least 149 deaths and 150 injuries.
"We are devastated by the awful events in Seoul, and the tragic loss of life," Hogan said. "The First Lady and I are thinking of everyone affected. We extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families and the Korean people."
Officials have described the stampede as one of the biggest disasters in the country's history and likely raise questions about its public safety standards.
Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul's Yongsan fire department, said the death toll could rise and that an unspecified number among the injured were in critical conditions following the stampede in Itaewon on Saturday night.
The bodies of the stampede victims have been sent to hospitals or a gym so that the families of the deceased can identify them, Seong-beom said.
Most of the people who were killed and injured during the stampede were in their 20s, he said.
Hogan's wife, Yumi Hogan, was born in South Korea.
She has played an active role in the state's diplomacy. During the pandemic, she led two trade missions that helped Maryland acquire 500,000 COVID-19 tests from South Korea.
