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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] The Seoul metropolitan government said Monday it will temporarily skip subway stops at several central stations to ensure public safety during a major comeback event for BTS on June 21.
The measures were announced after a safety coordination meeting chaired by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
To reduce congestion around the venue, subway trains will pass through Gwanghwamun Station, City Hall Station and Gyeongbokgung Station without stopping during peak hours. Gwanghwamun Station will operate as a non-stop station from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., while City Hall and Gyeongbokgung stations will be bypassed from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nearby stations may also be skipped depending on crowd conditions.
After the event, the city will deploy 12 additional trains on subway lines 2, 3 and 5 starting at 9 p.m. to help disperse crowds quickly. Several bus routes passing through the Gwanghwamun area will also temporarily bypass certain stops due to traffic controls.
Seoul said about 3,400 personnel from local governments, public agencies and emergency services will be deployed for on-site safety management. The city will divide the area into multiple zones around major crowd gathering points, including Gwanghwamun Square, and conduct coordinated monitoring.
Emergency services will also be heavily deployed, with 99 fire trucks and 765 firefighters assigned to the event. Police will manage crowds using a stadium-style layered control system around the venue while strengthening patrols in surrounding areas to prepare for potential security risks.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
