Busan Stadium Crush17 July 1959
A sudden heavy rainstorm during a public entertainment event led spectators to rush toward narrow stadium entrances or exits. People fell on a sloped passage and were crushed or trampled.
Incident Overview
What happened
During a βCitizensβ Comfort Nightβ public entertainment event at Busan Public / Municipal Stadium, tens of thousands of spectators were present.
A sudden heavy rainstorm caused spectators to move rapidly toward narrow exits or entrances to escape the rain. Reports describe people falling on a sloped passage before being trampled or crushed.
The incident is also referred to as the Busan Municipal Stadium stampede, Busan Public Stadium crush, and λΆμ°κ³΅μ€μ΄λμ₯ μμ¬μ¬κ³ .
Location & status
Busan Municipal Stadium
Location: Busan Municipal Stadium / Busan Public Stadium, Busan, South Korea. Later references identify the site as present-day Busan Gudeok Stadium.
Verified date: the sources found support 17 July 1959. A supplied row gave 17 June 1959, but that date was not verified in the reviewed sources.
Check disputed details βKey figures
Reported impact
Chronology
Reported sequence
Contributing factors
Risk conditions
Disputed Details
Conflicts and limits
Some details vary between the supplied row and the sources found. These points should not be treated as settled without stronger primary records.
The supplied row gives 17 June 1959, but reviewed sources repeatedly give 17 July 1959.
17 June 1959.
Yonhap, Edaily, Chosun, Seoul Shinmun / Daum, Consumer Post and others give 17 July 1959.
Use 17 July 1959 unless a primary source proves otherwise.
The rush for shelter is supported, but the precise direction is not consistent.
Spectators rushed toward upper covered sections.
Yonhap describes movement into a narrow entrance. Edaily and Chosun describe movement toward a narrow exit or entrance to escape rain.
The phrase βupper covered sectionsβ was not verified in the sources found.
Most stronger sources support around 30,000 spectators, but one secondary blog gives a much higher figure.
Edaily and Pulse report more than or around 30,000 spectators.
One blog account reports 100,000 attendees while repeating the common 67-death figure.
Around 30,000 is the better-supported figure from the sources reviewed.
Not Verified
Unverified Details
The following details were not confirmed from the reviewed material.
Source Material
References
References identified in the uploaded incident document. Lower-priority leads are labelled where relevant.
All Document URLs
Source Links
Direct links from the source list.
