[Press Release] Commission Holds Lecture Featuring Professor Hidemasa Yoshimura, a Leading Japanese Expert on Crowd-Related Accidents

National Commission for the Investigation of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster
Press Release
March 14, 2026

Commission Invites Japanese Crowd Safety Expert Professor Hidemasa Yoshimura for Special Lecture

The lecture, held at 3:00 p.m. on May 14 (Thursday), examines Japan’s measures for preventing crowd crush accidents and preventing their recurrence.
The Commission will explore how to improve Korea’s disaster management system through case studies of major accidents in Japan, including the Akashi pedestrian bridge accident.

The National Commission for the Investigation of the October 29 Itaewon Disaster and Prevention of Recurrence (the “Commission”) will hold a special lecture, inviting Professor Hidemasa Yoshimura, a Japanese expert on crowd-related accidents, at 3:00 p.m. on May 14(Thursday), in the 8th-floor auditorium of the Commission’s office.
This lecture is part of the Commission’s investigation into improvement measures for disaster prevention and damage mitigation—one of its key investigative tasks—and has been organized to strengthen expertise and practical capabilities in related fields.

The speaker, Professor Hidemasa Yoshimura, is an expert in crowd-related accidents and evacuation safety who has authored books such as Crowd Safety Engineering. The lecture will cover (i) major crowd-related accidents in Japan, (ii) measures to prevent the recurrence of crowd-related accidents and minimize harm, and (iii) Q&A session.

The Commission plans to actively incorporate the lecture materials and expert opinions discussed during the event into the preparation of its investigation findings report and the development of policy recommendations. //End//