Korea raises terror alert near BTS Gwanghwamun show venue as 260,000 fans expected

People take selfies near the BTS comeback concert stage being set up at Gwanghwamun Square, downtown Seoul, Tuesday. The Korean government will raise the terror alert level in some Seoul areas where more than 260,000 are expected to gather for the K-pop megaband's free comeback concert this Saturday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Korea will raise the terror alert level in parts of central Seoul ahead of BTS’ free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square this Saturday, where more than 260,000 people are expected to gather.

The prime minister's office announced Wednesday that the alert level will be elevated from the lowest “attention” to second-tier “caution,” out of a four-tier scale, in Jongno District and Jung District in central Seoul from the beginning of Thursday to midnight on Saturday as part of a preemptive move to prevent potential terror attacks.

“Given the uncertainties driven by international affairs, the government concluded that it is hard to rule out the possibility of a potential terror threat to the event like BTS concert where a large crowd would flock and will take a preemptive move to ensure the people’s safety as a priority,” the office said in a press release.

This comes amid rising tensions caused by the U.S-Israel war on Iran and the influx of tourists coming to Seoul for the historic concert event.

The alert is issued when there is a possibility of a terrorist attack and an important national event is taking place. The alert scales are attention, caution, warning and crisis.