Fireworks show to light up Seoul skies
Fireworks light up the city during the Seoul International Fireworks Festival in Seoul, Oct. 7, 2023. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Korea's largest annual fireworks show is set to take place in Seoul on Saturday.
The Seoul International Fireworks Festival, hosted by Hanwha Group, begins at 8 p.m. in Seoul's Yeouido area. This year's show takes place about three weeks earlier than in previous years due mainly to the Chuseok fall harvest holiday coming later this month.
Under the theme of "Find Your Light," this year's show features fireworks teams from three countries — Korea's Hanwha Corp., the United States and Britain. A pre-festival event will take place for the first time in the history of the festival that was launched in 2000.
About 6,800 personnel will be mobilized to manage crowds and handle emergencies.
The Seoul city government said a safety headquarters will be set up together with the police, fire departments, Hanwha and other relevant agencies to oversee crowds and traffic around the site.
Operational command centers doubling as emergency medical stations will be established at six locations across the Yeouido and Ichon neighborhoods, while 45 patrol boats will be used to monitor safety on the river.
Additionally, Hanwha will monitor real-time crowd density through CCTV cameras in each zone of the festival venue and operate an emergency request feature on the official festival application, Orange Play.
During Saturday's main event, traffic controls will be enforced, closing Wonhyo Bridge from 9 a.m. until 3 a.m. Sunday, and Yeouidong-ro from 3 p.m. to midnight.
A total of 24 bus routes passing through these restricted sections will be temporarily rerouted.