SEVERAL FESTIVALS AND CONCERTS CANCELED

[Anchor Lead]

Several festivals and concerts scheduled for Sunday across the nation were cancelled in the wake of the Itaewon tragedy. Local governments and merchants voluntarily scrapped festivals to grieve together. Singers also cancelled their solo concerts.

[Pkg]

A stage is being disassembled. In the wake of the Itaewon tragedy, the 6th Busan One Asia Festival scheduled for Sunday was cancelled the same day. More than 40,000 people were expected to see K-pop groups perform. But organizers decided to cancel the event due to safety concerns as well as to show solidarity with the rest of the nation in mourning. Other local festivals in Busan underway over the weekend were also downsized.

[Soundbite] Shin Sun-jo(Busan Resident) : "My heart breaks for all the young victims in the tragedy. Festivals can always be postponed."

The weekend Daegu Halloween Festival did not take place on the second day and the stage and props were removed. Merchants across the nation voluntarily terminated their Halloween events and put away all Halloween merchandise.

[Soundbite] Lee Sang-jo(Dir., Cheongju Seongan-gil Halloween Event) : "We decided to express our grief by canceling the events. We also put up mourning banners for citizens."

Everland, Lotte World and other amusement parks also stopped holding their Halloween festivals and parades. Department stores and large supermarkets all cancelled their Halloween-related promotional events. Celebrities also joined in mourning. Singer Jang Yoon-jeong cancelled her concert in Jinju and Young Tak cancelled his concert in Andong on the day they were scheduled to take place.