“We will strengthen marathon oversight” ... Seoul City moves to form consultative body with police

[Financial News] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is moving to establish a joint management system with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other relevant institutions to reduce traffic congestion and inconvenience to residents caused by downtown marathons. Starting next year, it will closely review event schedules, courses and traffic diversion measures in advance, and has asked organizers to refrain from recruiting participants until consultations with the relevant institutions are complete.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 4th that it is pursuing the formation of a “Downtown Marathon Management Consultative Body” with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other institutions. The move comes as a series of marathons have recently been held in central Seoul, restricting residents’ mobility through prolonged closures of major roads and causing problems with noise and litter.
In some cases, organizers reportedly recruited participants before consultations with the relevant institutions on traffic control had been completed, then changed the event schedule or course, or canceled the event shortly before it was due to take place. As a result, there are concerns that not only residents but also race participants could be adversely affected.
Early this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government drew up its own marathon guidelines and began improving how events are run. It moved up start times and capped the number of participants at each venue, while also reducing the number of events it sponsors from 15 last year to seven this year.
However, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s ability to manage marathons on its own was limited, since holding a marathon itself is not subject to approval or authorization by local governments, and many events are held with support from central government agencies.
Meanwhile, an amendment to the National Sports Promotion Act that recently passed the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea is set to take effect on April 21 next year. The amendment requires organizers of sporting events with 1,000 or more participants to notify the head of the local government in advance of their safety management plans, and allows local government heads to request that the plans be supplemented.
Taking advantage of these institutional changes, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to form a consultative body with the police and other relevant institutions to strengthen oversight of downtown marathons. It will comprehensively review the dates and routes of next year’s scheduled events, as well as traffic diversion measures, and discuss ways to minimize inconvenience to residents.
Specific management measures will be announced through a notice this December. The city has also asked organizers preparing next year’s events to refrain from recruiting participants until consultations on safety management plans and traffic control have been completed.
Cho Seong-ho, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Tourism and Sports Bureau, said, “The inconvenience to residents caused by downtown marathons has recently become a social issue,” adding, “We plan to form a consultative body with the police and other relevant institutions and pursue thorough oversight.”

[email protected] Seong Cho-rong Reporter