Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon says the city and central government will discuss the possibility of declaring the whole city a special disaster zone following the deadly crowd crush in Itaewon on the weekend.

Oh made the remark while visiting the site of the crowd crush in Yongsan District Sunday afternoon, having cut short his trip to Europe to respond to the Itaewon accident the previous day.

Expressing his condolences to the victims, he pledged that the city will do its best in the aftermath of the tragedy, including funeral preparations for the deceased and assistance for those recovering from injury.

Asked about the details of the potential special disaster area designation, the mayor said further discussions are needed but measures to help non-residents of Seoul among those affected will also be considered.

Earlier on Sunday, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared Yongsan District a special disaster zone eligible for state support measures.

Meanwhile, Oh avoided directly commenting on criticism that the city failed to implement proactive safety measures, saying he just arrived and was trying to get a grasp on the situation.