Seoul mayor says to review next year's marathons from 'scratch' after severe traffic disruptions
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Monday that marathon races scheduled for next year in Seoul will undergo a review from "scratch," following persistent complaints over severe traffic disruptions. A nationwide running boom in recent years has turned Seoul into a weekend hotspot for running events, but frequent road restrictions from the races have sparked growing public traffic complaints. Oh addressed…
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced on Monday that the city will conduct a complete review of next year's marathons after facing repeated complaints about significant traffic disruptions. The Korean capital has become a popular destination for running events due to a nationwide running surge in recent years, but the frequent road restrictions imposed by these races have led to increasing public grievances over traffic issues.
During a Sunday race, Oh addressed major traffic problems, vowing to overhaul the race schedule and routes for the following year. However, he admitted that large-scale inconveniences could not be entirely avoided. To address the situation, Oh stated that the city government has reduced the number of marathons it sponsors from 15 last year to just seven this year, while the number of races backed by the central government increased to 23 this year from just one in 2025.
He emphasized that running events are not subject to city approval and pledged to collaborate with the central government, police, and event organizers to mitigate future inconveniences.
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