On the Day of the Fireworks Festival, 'Yeoidong-ro' Road Closure and Vehicle Detours

Seoul City Comprehensive Support Measures Activated

As the 19th Seoul International Fireworks Festival approaches this Saturday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced a comprehensive plan. Roads around the event venue will be completely closed, and depending on congestion levels, subway trains may pass through Yeouinaru Station without stopping, so citizens planning to visit are advised to check in advance.

Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the 5th, Seoul announced that it has established a comprehensive support plan to ensure safe and convenient viewing of the 'Seoul International Fireworks Festival 2023' held at Yeouido Hangang Park on the 7th, and will begin full-scale operation.

First, Seoul has built a cooperative system with related organizations such as the organizer Hanwha, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters, Yeongdeungpo District Office, and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and set up a 'Comprehensive Safety Headquarters' at the event site to support on-site safety. The city has increased safety personnel by 26% compared to last year and will deploy them to disperse crowds at the venue and nearby subway stations, as well as to enforce parking regulations. Additionally, to respond quickly in case of emergencies, fire trucks, ambulances, and medical personnel will be stationed within the event site to provide prompt support if necessary, and safety management will cover not only the venue but also water safety.

From 2 PM to 11 PM on the 7th, Yeouidong-ro (from the south end of Mapo Bridge to in front of the 63 Building) will be completely closed, and all vehicles including buses must take detours. Accordingly, Seoul will increase public transportation services and, considering congestion, plans to have subway Line 5 trains pass through Yeouinaru Station without stopping.

Due to the closure of Yeouidong-ro, all 20 bus routes that usually pass through this section (14 Seoul city buses, 2 village buses, 1 airport bus, and 3 Gyeonggi buses) will operate on detour routes from 2 PM to 11 PM. At the request of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, 14 routes crossing Hangang Bridge between 4 PM and 9 PM will not stop at stops such as the Hangang Bridge Observatory Cafe and Nodeul Island.

Subway Lines 5 and 9 will increase the number of runs by a total of 70 from 5 PM to 6 PM, when passenger concentration is expected. After the event ends, from 8 PM to 11 PM, all four entrances of Yeouinaru Station (Line 5), the closest station to the venue, will be closed, so visitors must use nearby stations to return home. On that day, 16 stations around the venue, including Yeouido Station and Yeouinaru Station, will deploy more than four times the usual number of safety personnel (from 63 normally to 277 on the event day). The city will also intensively crack down on illegal parking around the venue to protect pedestrian safety and prevent congestion.

Furthermore, on the day of the event, public bicycles 'Ddareungi' and shared personal mobility devices (Kickgoing, Ssingssing) rental and return services in the Yeouido area will be temporarily suspended. The city also plans to relocate any shared personal mobility devices or public bicycles left around the venue to other areas to avoid inconvenience to pedestrians.

Choi Kyung-joo, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Culture Headquarters, said, “Seoul will concentrate all administrative efforts to help ensure a safe and pleasant viewing experience of the ‘Seoul International Fireworks Festival.’ Having established itself as a representative event of Seoul through 18 iterations, we ask visitors to check sufficient information before visiting and to watch the event in an orderly manner so that this year’s festival can also conclude safely.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.