SEOUL, Nov 1 (AFP) - Seoul's interior minister on Tuesday apologised for a fatal Halloween crowd surge that killed 156 people, the first top official to do so after one of the country's worst-ever disasters.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere apologies to the public as the minister in charge of the people's safety for this accident," Lee Sang-min said before bowing his head before lawmakers and cameras.