[COVER STORY] Marathons at city centers inconvenience residents

On March 15, about 40,000 runners took part in the Seoul DongA Marathon, a race that commenced at 5 a.m. on a Sunday from Gwanghwamun Square in the heart of Seoul and ended at Jamsil Sports Complex in the southeastern Songpa District. The annual event was organized by a prominent newspaper company in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency granted permission for the race and its route.

Police officers were responsible for managing traffic during the marathon, with units from various districts, including Jongno, Hyehwa-dong, Namdaemun Market, Jung, Dongdaemun Market, Seongdong, Gwangjin, Songpa, and Suseo-dong, coordinating the traffic controls.

Traffic restrictions were intermittently enforced as the runners traversed each district. The deployment and lifting of controls around the Jamsil section concluded at 2:30 p.m., more than ten hours after the commencement of the race. Despite the enthusiasm of spectators lining the streets as the runners passed by, the marathon also elicited complaints from residents due to significant traffic disruptions.

Vehicles were rerouted or halted as the event progressed, causing inconvenience for many city dwellers who were otherwise enjoying their Sunday morning.