Police Launch "Stadium-Style" Crowd Management Ahead of BTS Concert

Up to 260,000 People Expected... Four-Tier Zone Management
Request for Preemptive Non-Stop Service at Three Subway Stations

The police are activating a comprehensive safety plan that applies a stadium-style crowd management system ahead of the BTS (Bangtan Boys) concert at Gwanghwamun.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that at around 10 a.m. on the 20th, it held an interim review meeting chaired by Commissioner Park Jungbo to prepare for the "BTS Gwanghwamun Concert." The police reviewed the progress of safety management measures for the entire event, which will be held around Gwanghwamun and Seoul City Hall from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on March 21.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Jongno District, Seoul. Yonhap News

This concert is a large-scale event to be held in the heart of downtown Seoul, at Gwanghwamun. In addition to ticket holders selected by lottery, a large crowd, including foreign tourists, is expected to gather in the area.

Expecting up to 260,000 people to gather on the day of the event, the police will divide the area into four zones (core, hot, warm, and cold) based on crowd risk and mobility, and respond in stages. The core zone will be designated as the key space where direct viewing is possible; the hot zone as a high-risk, densely crowded area; and the warm and cold zones as outer management areas with relatively lower risk levels.

In particular, the police will apply a "stadium-style" crowd management system by installing crowd control lines around the concert venue perimeter and restricting entry so that spectators can only enter through 29 designated access routes. This is intended to keep crowd density inside the venue below a certain level.

To facilitate smooth crowd dispersal, the police have also requested the Seoul Metro Corporation to implement preemptive non-stop train passage at three nearby subway stations on the day of the event: Gwanghwamun Station, Gyeongbokgung Station, and City Hall Station. Step-by-step traffic controls are also planned not only on Sejong-daero around the venue, but on major roads such as Saemunan-ro, Jongno, Sajik-ro, and Yulgok-ro. Once the control times are finalized, they will be announced in advance through roadside electronic signboards and other channels.

Along with crowd management, crackdowns on illegal activities will also be carried out. The police plan to deploy all available personnel and equipment to respond not only to basic public-order violations such as fraudulent ticket purchases using macros and ticket scalping, but also to major crimes including sex crimes and theft.

An official from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said, "With citizen safety as our top priority, we will continue to review and supplement measures through joint inspections with relevant agencies during the remaining period," adding, "We will establish a highly effective and comprehensive safety plan."