Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Seoul prepares safety measures ahead of BTS Gwanghwamun comeback show
BTS / AP-Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is rolling out a comprehensive crowd safety plan ahead of BTS’ long-awaited comeback performance next month, as officials brace for throngs of Korean and foreign fans in central Seoul.
The K-pop group is scheduled to hold a live performance marking the release of its fifth full-length album at Gwanghwamun Square at 8 p.m. on March 21.
“It is a big opportunity for Seoul that this event will be held at Gwanghwamun Square, the heart of the city, and we must make the most of it,” Mayor Oh Se-hoon said at a Wednesday meeting about the BTS performance. “We sincerely welcome this event, and we must pay attention to safety issues, traffic flow and easing any inconvenience for residents.”
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a meeting on crowd safety measures at City Hall in Seoul, Wednesday, ahead of the BTS performance at Gwanghwamun Square next month. Newsis
Oh described BTS as “precious” partners who served as Seoul’s tourism ambassadors from 2017 to 2023, helping the city grow into a global tourism powerhouse, which attracts nearly 20 million foreign visitors a year.
With fans expected to pack Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza and other central locations, the city government says it will focus on prevention‑oriented safety management.
City officials will tighten the review of safety plans by seeking advance consultations with crowd‑control experts. Officials will divide the main concert area into smaller sections to prevent unmanaged crowding and require organizers to deploy adequate safety staff both inside the venue and on nearby streets where fans are expected to gather.
Real‑time crowd monitoring will also be conducted in the area. The city’s disaster and safety control center will use urban data feeds and CCTV footage to track crowd density, sharing conditions on the ground with the event organizers, police, fire authorities and district offices so they can activate response measures quickly at each alert level.
Officials will manage entry and exit routes to ease bottlenecks before and after the show, and will review steps to prevent dangerous crowd surges during the performance itself. Fire and emergency medical teams and vehicles will be stationed nearby, and emergency access routes will be secured in case a serious incident occurs.
The city government is considering having subway trains pass stations in that area without stopping and rerouting buses where roads are closed. A special crackdown will target illegal street vendors and parking violations, officials said.
City officials will also move against potential price‑gouging during the event period, focusing on hotel rates and overcharging at traditional markets expected to see increased foot traffic from visiting fans.