South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol says he will review how accidents are handled and address structural problems to prevent a recurrence of last month's crowd crush in Seoul.

Yoon was speaking at the first meeting of a task force set up after the deadly accident to check South Korea's safety procedures for public events.

The meeting was also attended by relevant Cabinet ministers, the police chief and security experts from the private sector.

Yoon said he is sorry for the families of the victims and people across the country and he feels heartbroken as the president should protect people's lives and safety.

He expressed his determination to take steps responsibly to allow people to resume their normal lives.

The participants discussed how to manage risks at events, including Halloween celebrations and other public gatherings with no clear organization.

Yoon stressed the need for a drastic reform of police activities. He noted that he will review the police response to the crowd crush and said those who are found to be responsible will be strictly held accountable.

South Korean police are under fire for their handling of the disaster that killed 156 people.