Fifteen people are feared dead after a ventilation grill collapsed during a concert by a popular girlband near South Korea's capital.

Fire officials said two people had been confirmed dead and 13 others were unresponsive after the accident in Seongnam, just south of Seoul. They said 10 others were seriously injured.

Photos of the scene showed a deep concrete shaft under the broken ventilation grill.

The officials said the victims were standing on the grill while watching an outdoor performance by girls' band 4Minute, which is popular across Asia.

About 700 people had gathered to watch the concert, which was part of a local festival.

The YTN television network said many of the spectators were female students. The victims weren't immediately identified.

The cause of the accident is not immediately known.

The accident came as South Korea is still struggling to deal with a ferry disaster in April that left more than 300 people dead or missing.

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