Difficult to Classify Waiting on Sidewalks and Squares as Illegal
Police to Focus on Administrative Guidance and Persuasion
Ahead of the BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) comeback concert scheduled to take place at Gwanghwamun in Seoul on March 21, police have begun preparing crowd management measures. With fans from around the world expected to gather, concerns are rising that people may begin overnight queues as early as the day before the concert in order to secure so-called "prime spots."
On March 1, Yonhap News reported that the police are coordinating response plans with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which manages the area, in anticipation of possible mass overnight stays around Gwanghwamun Square and nearby sidewalks on the day before the concert. This is based on the belief that fans who could not secure tickets may try to stake out locations near the venue to get as close as possible to the event.
The police plan to bolster advance deployment of personnel and increase patrols, but have noted that it will not be easy to legally enforce compulsory dispersal. If fans remain on the sidewalk or square without occupying roadways, it is difficult to apply the charge of obstruction of general traffic under the Road Traffic Act. Furthermore, waiting solely for the purpose of viewing the concert cannot easily be classified as an illegal assembly. While administrative guidance for unauthorized occupation and fines under Seoul City ordinances are possible, they do not provide a direct or immediate basis for crowd control.
Japanese tourists are taking commemorative photos on the stairs of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul, with promotional materials announcing the comeback of the group BTS in the background. Photo by Yonhap News
A police official stated, "Since we cannot use physical force, we believe we must persuade people as much as possible by explaining that 'this is not a space where you are allowed to stay.'"
The police plan to finalize additional measures after reviewing the event safety management plan to be submitted by the organizer, HYBE, to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on March 3. In particular, they are also conducting preemptive inspections to prevent accidents, such as falls, in anticipation of crowds possibly gathering on rooftops or ventilation areas of nearby high-rise buildings.
Efforts are also underway to address the rampant ticket scams proliferating online. On February 23, a large number of posts appeared demanding commissions ranging from 150,000 won up to 1 million won under the pretense of proxy ticket purchases, both before and after ticket sales opened. Police identified 81 posts suspected of being scams and requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission to delete or block them.
The police plan to closely monitor the situation on-site until the day of the concert and to implement additional safety measures as needed.
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