Comprehensive Measures with Police, Fire Department, Local Districts, and Organizers
"We Will Uphold the Principle of 'Citizen Safety First' Until the End"
The 21st "2025 Seoul International Fireworks Festival" will be held on September 27 in the area around Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Government expects approximately 1 million spectators to attend and has established comprehensive measures in cooperation with the police, fire department, local districts, and the event organizer.
Photos illuminating the Seoul sky at the "2024 Seoul International Fireworks Festival" Photo by Yonhap News
First, traffic control will be significantly strengthened. Yeouidong-ro (from the southern end of Mapo Bridge to in front of 63 Building) will be completely closed from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and 19 bus routes passing through this section will be rerouted.
On Hangang Bridge, considered a prime viewing spot for the fireworks, 15 bus routes will not stop between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., and taxi pick-up and drop-off will be strictly prohibited. Immediately after the event, 26 bus routes passing through Yeouido Transfer Center, Yeouido Station, and Yeouinaru Station will be dispatched more frequently.
Subway service will also be increased. Line 5 will run 18 additional trains, and Line 9 will run 62 additional trains. Yeouinaru Station, the closest to the venue, may bypass stops or have its entrances closed if it becomes too crowded. Therefore, spectators are encouraged to use nearby stations such as Yeouido Station, Mapo Station, and Saetgang Station.
A total of 306 safety personnel-more than four times the usual number-will be deployed at 17 subway stations around the event venue to maintain order on platforms and guide passenger flow.
On-site safety measures will also be expanded. Ninety temporary restrooms and waste collection facilities will be set up in Yeouido and Ichon Hangang Park, with two comprehensive information centers and six emergency medical stations in operation. Fire trucks, ambulances, medical personnel, and 37 patrol boats will also be deployed. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will install safety fences around the venue and concentrate traffic patrol units on Gangbyeonbuk-ro and Olympic-daero.
The Autonomous Police Committee and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety have conducted a joint pre-event inspection, and on the day of the festival, the head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters will personally patrol the site to check bottleneck areas and the deployment of safety personnel.
To prevent accidents, the Hangang Bus service will be suspended for the day. Instead, 50 families with multiple children have been invited to watch the fireworks from a bus stationed near Hangang Railway Bridge. In addition, Nodeul Island will be designated as the "Seoul Fireworks Companion Island" and will be open exclusively to families from underprivileged backgrounds.
The city has temporarily suspended the rental and return of personal mobility devices such as the public bicycle Ddareungi and private electric scooters in the vicinity of the event. Crackdowns on illegal parking and stopping will also be extended to Yeouido, nearby bridges, and the roads around Ichon and Noryangjin to minimize congestion.
A Seoul city official stated, "The Seoul International Fireworks Festival is a globally beloved flagship event and also attracts an enormous crowd. We will uphold the principle of 'citizen safety first' until the end," and urged, "We ask all spectators to actively use public transportation and cooperate with safety guidance."
This year's fireworks festival, held under the theme "Light Up Together," will feature participation from three countries: Korea, Italy, and Canada.
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