Seoul Fireworks Festival Braces for 1 Million Visitors, Deploys 6,800 Safety Personnel

[Financial News] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will deploy 6,800 safety personnel in preparation for more than 1 million visitors expected to gather in Yeouido for the Seoul International Fireworks Festival this weekend. It will also implement traffic measures, including road closures and increased subway service. If crowds become too dense, trains at Yeouinaru Station may also pass through without stopping.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 1st that it will activate a comprehensive plan covering safety, traffic and convenience ahead of the "Seoul International Fireworks Festival 2026 with Hanwha," with the eve event on the 4th and the main event on the 5th.
Because the festival will be held over two days for the first time this year, the city has increased the number of safety workers compared with previous years. Seoul Metropolitan Government will operate a joint safety headquarters with police, fire authorities, Yeongdeungpo District, Yongsan District, Dongjak District and Mapo District, as well as other related agencies and the organizer. Personnel will be stationed at the venue and nearby subway stations. Safety equipment, including fences and cones, will also be increased by 20% from last year.
Traffic controls will be concentrated on the 5th, when the main event takes place. Wonhyo Bridge will be fully closed from 9 a.m. that day until 3 a.m. the following day, while Yeouidong-ro, from the southern end of Mapo Bridge to the front of 63 Building, will be fully restricted from 3 p.m. until midnight. As a result, 24 bus routes passing through the affected area will be temporarily diverted.
To handle heavy passenger traffic before and after the event, Seoul Subway Line 5 will add 18 trips and Seoul Subway Line 9 will add 65. At 21 stations near the venue, the city will assign three to five times more safety staff than usual. At Yeouinaru Station on Line 5, trains may pass through without stopping or station entrances may be closed if crowds inside the station become too dense.
Buses will also be dispatched more frequently. Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., and again between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on the 5th, 26 routes passing through Yeouido Transfer Center and Yeouido Station will be reinforced. From 4 p.m. to 9:20 p.m., 16 routes passing four bus stops on Hangang Bridge, including two stops at Nodeul Island and the Hangang Bridge Observatory Cafe and Sky Suite stops, will run without stopping. Use of bicycles and personal mobility devices will also be restricted.
For water safety, the Hangang Bus will either suspend operations or run on a reduced schedule from the 3rd to the 5th. The city will also deploy 45 patrol boats from Seogang Bridge to Hangang Bridge to manage safety on the river.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government also said it will strengthen safety management around the venue. Six operation centers and emergency medical stations will be set up in Yeouido and Ichon, with fire trucks, ambulances and medical staff deployed.
Ahead of the event, a joint inspection team from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, along with police, fire authorities and district offices, will conduct inspections on the 3rd and 4th. The team will review crowd management plans and the safety management of facilities, and any shortcomings will be addressed before the event.
The city also plans to provide real-time traffic updates during the event through the Seoul Transport Operation and Information Service (TOPIS).
This year's Seoul International Fireworks Festival will feature fireworks shows from South Korea, the United States and the United Kingdom starting at 8 p.m. on the 5th under the theme "Finding Your Light (Your Infinite Colors)."
Min Soo-hong, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Culture Headquarters, said, "We have built a closely coordinated response system with related agencies so that there are no blind spots in safety management, from the venue and subway stations to the Hangang River." He added, "On the day of the event, road closures and congestion at Yeouinaru Station are expected, so please check public transportation information in advance, use nearby stations in a distributed manner and follow the guidance of safety personnel."

[email protected] Sung Cho-rong Reporter