More than 117,000 visit mourning altars set up across Seoul for Itaewon victims

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- More than 117,000 people paid their respects at mourning altars set up across Seoul for the victims of the Halloween crowd crush that killed at least 156 people in the city's nightlife district of Itaewon, city government officials said Sunday.

A total of 117,619 people visited the altars set up at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall and 25 other locations run by the ward offices through Saturday, the last day of a weeklong national mourning period for the victims of the Oct. 29 tragedy.

Of the total, 38,283 people visited the Seoul Plaza altar, city officials said.

President Yoon Suk-yeol paid his respects for six days in a row through Saturday, once at an altar set up near the Itaewon accident site and five other times at the Seoul Plaza altar.

Foreign dignitaries also paid their respects, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso.

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