Who is responsible for marathon road closures?
City marathons are approved and controlled on roads by regional police authorities, while city governments have the authority to approve the use of specific public venues as start and end points. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it is aware of the inconvenience caused by the increasing number of running events and is trying to minimize complaints by sending text message notices to residents…
The city marathons that cause significant road closures are approved and managed by regional police authorities, while city governments control the selection of specific public venues for the start and end points. The Seoul Metropolitan Government acknowledges the inconvenience these events bring and attempts to alleviate complaints by sending text message notifications to residents regarding upcoming marathons and road closure schedules.
However, it emphasizes that its control over the events is limited, as it does not possess the authority to approve or reject them.
Despite wishing the marathons were hosted in less crowded areas such as the riverside along the Han River, the city government recognizes the strong preference among runners for experiencing a marathon within the inner parts of the city. Cha Jin-ju, head of the sports policy division under the city government's Tourism & Sports Bureau, explained that hosts seek the inner city location for the financial benefits it generates.
In response, the authorities opted not to sponsor certain marathons held in the city center and instead advised event organizers to choose locations outside the urban core.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Who is responsible for marathon road closures? koreatimes.co.kr
