Seoul gov’t to dispatch 3,400 personnel, outlines safety measures for upcoming BTS concert
Published: 09 Mar. 2026, 17:46
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- CHO JUNG-WOO
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Boy band BTS poses for a photo in front of Gyeongbok Palace's Geunjeongjeon in central Seoul, where the band filmed a performance for the ″BTS Week″ special on NBC's ″The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon″ in the United States, in 2020. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/09/d07ffa20-ebaa-4f48-8670-a6b5d0f3a9fa.jpg)
Boy band BTS poses for a photo in front of Gyeongbok Palace's Geunjeongjeon in central Seoul, where the band filmed a performance for the ″BTS Week″ special on NBC's ″The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon″ in the United States, in 2020. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]
Some 3,400 personnel will be dispatched to ensure safety for the upcoming comeback performance of boy band BTS, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday.
The measures were discussed at a joint safety inspection meeting presided over by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon ahead of the show set for March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul. The performance will mark the group’s first show as a full band after three years and nine months, with about 260,000 people expected to gather.
The city plans to dispatch about 3,400 personnel from related authorities, including district offices, Seoul Metro and the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters, to manage safety around the venue. Nearby subway stations will be bypassed and bus routes detoured to control crowds.
A total of 2,535 toilets, including portable units and nearby public restrooms opened for the event, will be secured ahead of the performance.
Beginning the day before the concert, police will patrol the area around the venue to prevent fans from camping overnight and to crack down on illegal street vendors in order to keep roads clear and ensure public safety.
The city will also operate a citizen safety response headquarters, led by the head of the city’s Disaster and Safety Office. Eight teams will handle different aspects of the operation, including transportation management, medical response and assistance for foreign visitors.
The fire and disaster headquarters will deploy 99 fire trucks and 765 personnel, positioned across three main areas: between Gwanghwamun and the Sejong-daero intersection; between the Sejong-daero intersection and another intersection near Seoul City Hall; and around the concert stage.
Entrances at four nearby subway stations — Gwanghwamun Station on Line No. 5, City Hall Station on Lines No. 1 and 2, and Gyeongbokgung Station on Line No. 3 — will be closed, and trains will pass through without stopping.
According to the city government, trains will skip Gwanghwamun Station from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and City Hall and Gyeongbokgung stations from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., though the schedule could change depending on crowd conditions.
![Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a joint safety inspection meeting held ahead of the comeback performance by boy band BTS at the City Hall in central Seoul on March 9. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/09/68dfe71e-67e7-470a-8e5a-b35e8ee72c3d.jpg)
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a joint safety inspection meeting held ahead of the comeback performance by boy band BTS at the City Hall in central Seoul on March 9. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]
To help disperse concertgoers after the show, 12 additional subway services will be added along the three lines beginning at 9 p.m.
On the day of the event, safety instructions and transportation updates will be provided in Korean and English through emergency alert messages for international visitors. The city will also release an online digital guide in Korean and English this month, including transportation information near the venue, emergency contacts and nearby tourist attractions.
A separate digital map in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese will be distributed through QR codes on informational materials. The map will provide real-time updates, including the locations of available toilets and information centers.
Staff for the city’s 120 Dasan Call Center, which provides assistance in English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Mongolian, will also be expanded for two days, on March 20 and 21.
About 70 tour guides will be stationed around the area, along with roughly 600 volunteers assisting both residents and visitors.
“Our mission will only end when the very last citizen has returned home safely,” Oh said during the meeting. He urged officials to prepare meticulously until the end so that fans from around the world can leave with the impression that Seoul’s safety standards are “on a different level,” hoping that the event becomes a festive celebration.
BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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