Heightened Safety Measures at Impeachment Rallies and Protests... Hangangjin Station Also Skips Stops

Roads Near Constitutional Court and Presidential Residence Restricted, Buses Rerouted
Subway Trains to Skip 14 Stations Depending on Situation
Ministry of the Interior and Safety Dispatches Over 40 On-Site Situation Managers

On the 4th, the day of the impeachment trial verdict for President Yoon Suk-yeol, crowds gathered due to rallies and demonstrations, prompting the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and local governments to be on high alert to maintain safety. Traffic near the Constitutional Court and the Hannam-dong presidential residence, where chaotic situations are expected after the verdict, was also restricted.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Traffic Information Center, from 9 a.m. that day, trains on Subway Line 6 will pass through Hangangjin Station without stopping as a measure to prepare for crowd congestion. Earlier, all trains at Anguk Station on Subway Line 3 were suspended from the first train and the station was closed. Previously, Seoul Metro announced safety measures such as non-stop train passage depending on on-site conditions at 14 stations including Jonggak Station, City Hall Station, Jongno 3-ga Station, Euljiro 1-ga Station, Gyeongbokgung Station, Gwanghwamun Station, Yeouido Station, Yeouinaru Station, Hangangjin Station, Itaewon Station, and Beotigogae Station.

On the 3rd, one day before the impeachment trial verdict of President Yoon Seok-yeol, roads near the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, are being controlled. 2025. 04. 03 Photo by Yoon Dong-ju

As of 8 a.m. that day, roads near the Constitutional Court and the Hannam-dong presidential residence, including Bukchon-ro to Anguk Station, Yulgok-ro to Changdeokgung Intersection, Anguk Station to Nakwon Arcade, and three lanes in front of Hannam-daero, were fully closed. Accordingly, some public transportation routes will either pass through the area without stopping or operate on detours. Thirteen bus stops near both directions of Hannam-daero and Hangang-daero will be temporarily closed from midnight to midnight, and 48 bus routes will be temporarily rerouted. Thirty-one bus stops near the Constitutional Court, including Ujeongguk-ro, Yulgok-ro, Sejong-daero Intersection, and Gwanghwamun Intersection, have been temporarily closed since 5 p.m. on the 3rd, with buses operating on detours. The end time for these closures has not been determined.

The authorities are making every effort to manage safety. On the day of the impeachment verdict for former President Park Geun-hye in 2017, four people died due to crowd crush incidents. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety dispatched over 40 on-site situation managers at the level of department heads and section chiefs to 11 locations to manage the situation. They will also be dispatched outside Seoul, with plans to increase personnel depending on the situation. They will manage congestion at entrances and exits, conduct special inspections of elevators, and operate emergency disaster safety communication networks.

The National Fire Agency is operating a "Situation Response Team" to prepare for emergencies and a surge in emergency calls. Personnel and vehicles will be deployed mainly in Seoul, where large-scale rallies and demonstrations are expected, to respond promptly in case of accidents. Seoul Fire Department has deployed up to 136 fire vehicles, including pump ambulances and ambulances, and 712 personnel at four major rally sites.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is operating the "Citizen Safety Countermeasures Headquarters," which began operations last month. On the day of the verdict, up to approximately 2,400 personnel will be deployed on-site to provide safety management, medical support, and traffic detour guidance. Local districts have also completed preparations such as clearing obstructive items that could compromise safety and providing information on nearby public restrooms. On-site medical support will also be provided. Jung-gu has set up a field clinic near the Sora Tower at Cheonggye Plaza, and Jongno-gu has established a field clinic near the Lifelong Education Center of Duksung Women's University.