Seoul deploys 6,800 safety personnel for weekend fireworks festival

Seoul has increased its safety presence for the upcoming fireworks festival, announcing that 6,800 personnel will be deployed around the city. The Seoul International Fireworks Festival will now span two days, with a pre-festival program on Friday and the main event on Saturday. The fireworks display is set to commence at 8 p.m. at Yeouido Hangang Park, situated along the Han River.

Organized by Hanwha Corp. in collaboration with the city, the festival has historically attracted over a million attendees. This year's theme is "Your Infinite Colors," featuring teams from Korea, the United States, and Britain.

In an effort to manage the large crowds, Seoul has urged attendees to utilize public transportation and steer clear of Yeouinaru Station, the closest subway stop to the venue. Instead, visitors are being encouraged to take the Yeouido, Mapo, or Saetgang stations. The city has also taken measures to restrict access to certain areas of the festival site.

Wonhyo Bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. on Saturday to 3 a.m. on Sunday, while Yeouidong-ro, the road connecting the southern end of Mapo Bridge to the 63 Building, will be shut down from 3 p.m. to midnight on Saturday. This road closure will reroute two dozen bus routes. To accommodate the increased number of spectators, Seoul Subway Line 5 will run an additional 18 trips during peak hours, and Line 9 will add 65 trips.