SEOUL, Oct 30 (AFP) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a period of national mourning after an apparent crowd surge killed at least 149 people in the Itaewon district of Seoul during Halloween celebrations.

Speaking on Sunday morning, Yoon sent his condolences to families of the victims and wished all injured “speedy recoveries.”

He said it was “miserable” to see the disaster play out in the heart of the capital, and would come up with measures to prevent similar accidents in future.

Yoon said the mourning period would continue “until the handling of the accident is concluded.”

The crush in Itaewon on Halloween is one of South Korea’s worst disasters since a 2014 ferry sinking that killed 304 people, mainly high school students.