Jongno-gu Conducts Intensive Inspection of Gwanghwamun Construction Sites and Facilities Ahead of BTS Concert

On-site Inspection by Mayor Jung Munheon on March 19

Deployment of Safety Personnel Starting the Day Before the Concert

Special Management Period for Tourist Accommodations

On March 19, Jongno-gu District Office in Seoul (headed by Mayor Jung Munheon) announced that it will conduct a large-scale safety inspection of construction sites, street facilities, roads, and sidewalks throughout the district ahead of the BTS comeback concert scheduled for March 21.

On March 19, two days before the concert, Mayor Jung Munheon personally inspected the Gwanghwamun Square area, working to prevent safety accidents. The advance inspections took place from 9 a.m., focusing on roads and street facilities near Gwanghwamun, lighting equipment, street installations, aging buildings, and construction sites in the Jongno-Cheonggye Tourism Special Zone and Bukchon.

Jeong Moonhun, Mayor of Jongno-gu (right), is conducting a safety inspection of street facilities around the performance venue on the 19th. Provided by Jongno-gu.

The inspection covered the status of construction stoppages in the hot and core zones, checks around construction sites, as well as identifying risk factors such as the possibility of falls from ventilation shafts and the presence of stored objects or facility damage in the warm zone.

From 4 p.m. on March 20 until the concert day on March 21, safety personnel (in teams of two) will be deployed throughout the venue to proactively manage lines and overnight waiting on sidewalks. The areas around Wol-dae, the four underground walkways at Gwanghwamun, Cheongjin, and Dongshipjagak have been designated as intensive management zones, while the sidewalk section from the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History to Kyobo Life has been designated as a general management zone for simultaneous patrolling and guidance. A real-time communication system will be maintained with the organizers and police, and in the event of an emergency, joint response measures will be taken immediately.

From March 21 to March 22, street environment maintenance will be strengthened in the Gwanghwamun, Insadong, Bukchon, and Jonggak areas. About 140 staff members, including district employees, environmental officers, and the Clean Task Force, will be mobilized for management, and after the stage is dismantled, the roads around the venue will be cleaned as well.

The district has also designated a special management period for accommodations until March 22, organizing inspection teams to closely monitor room rate trends at tourist hotels, general lodgings, hanok guesthouses, and foreign tourist guesthouses.

To minimize inconvenience to residents, temporary village bus detours and other traffic changes will be announced through the Jongno-gu official website and social media channels.

The district is also using this concert as an opportunity to promote its city brand, aiming to imprint the message "Jongno, the Center of K-Culture" in the heart of Seoul, where 200,000 spectators are expected to gather.

The video currently being shown on the large Gwanghwamun Square display, "Jongno, the Center of K-Culture. Jongno Loves Culture," features historical and cultural assets such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Bukchon Hanok Village, as well as cutting-edge urban scenes. With a massive audience gathering this weekend, it is expected to further raise Jongno's global profile.

Until March 23, the district will host a quiz event on its official YouTube channel 'JongnoTV.' Participants can join by submitting the name of a global K-POP star that comes to mind after watching the featured video along with a subscription verification image, and a total of 105 winners will be selected by lottery to receive prizes.

Meanwhile, at 7 p.m. on March 20, the "BTS Gyeongbokgung Special Film" will have its world-exclusive premiere at Gwanghwamun Square. This video will also be broadcast simultaneously at ten locations, including Koreana Hotel, The Dong-A Ilbo, KT WEST, Saekwang Building, Dajeong Building, Ilmin Museum of Art, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, The Seoul Shinmun, and the media walls of Gwanghwamun and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts (Atelier Gwanghwa, Haechi Madang Media Wall), every hour at 5, 25, and 45 minutes past the hour until midnight on March 21.

Mayor Jung Munheon stated, "With the world's attention focused on us, we will ensure both the daily lives of our residents and the safety of concertgoers without any oversight. I hope this event serves as an opportunity to establish Jongno as a representative hub city for K-culture globally."

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