部分原因可能是因为韩国是世界上疫情限制放宽最慢的国家之一。韩国在4月取消了10人聚集限制，5月取消了户外带口罩的规定。

Thousands of young people were keen to head out and enjoy their first Halloween in three years.

成群结队的年轻人渴望外出，享受三年以来的首次万圣夜。

It's not entirely clear why so many people diverted down the narrow alley where so many lost their lives - an early rumour suggested people flocked there after hearing a celebrity was in the vicinity.

目前还不完全清楚为什么为什么众人会聚集在事故现场——早期的传言表明，人们在听说附近有名人后蜂拥而至。

It is also possible that too many people were trying to use it as a cut through to a main bar and nightclub street already clogged up with people.

也有可能是众人试图将塞满人的巷子作为通往酒吧和夜店的通道。

Witnesses say there were early signs things weren't all well.

有目击者称，早期迹象表示情况堪忧。

One has described to Sky News the 20-30 minutes wait to even exit the underground station a full two hours before the crush happened, and standing "shoulder to shoulder" with crowds of partygoers even on the wider main roads.

有人向Sky News描述，在拥挤发生前整整两个小时，人们甚至要等20到30分钟才能离开地铁站，即使是在更宽阔的主干道上，他们也要与人群“肩并肩”地站在一起。

Estimates say there could have been over 100,000 people in the area at the time, but police presence or crowd control measures don't appear to have matched those numbers.

据估计，当时该地区可能超过10万人，但警力或人群控制措施并不相匹配。

The tragedy has vague echoes of the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014. In that case more than 300 people including 250 students drowned when their overcrowded and poorly run ferry capsized.

这起悲剧与2014年的世越号渡轮惨案有着模糊的回响。当时超过300人，其中包括250名学生，因拥挤不堪、运营不善的渡轮倾覆而溺亡。

The national outrage that followed lead to South Korea tightening safety rules and passing laws to crack down on corruption and companies that put profit ahead of safety.

随后的全国愤怒导致韩国收紧安全规则，并通过法律打击腐败和将利润置于安全之上的公司。

While there are no suggestions of any criminal negligence this time the national grief over the loss of young people may yet demand changes.

尽管这一次没有任何犯罪过失的迹象，但在全国对年轻人死亡的悲痛下可能还需要变革。

There seems to have been warning signs things were getting unsafe. People are now asking why there wasn't earlier intervention to manage the numbers.

似乎有警告迹象表明事情变得不安全。人们质疑为什么没有早期干预来管理人数。返回搜狐，查看更多