BTS Comeback D-45: Seoul scrutinizes crowd safety and price gouging SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - As visitor numbers are expected to rise ahead of BTS’s comeback in March, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has begun reviewing comprehensive measures, including crowd safety management and a crackdown on price gouging. On Wednesday, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon chaired a meeting at 10 a.m. to review key issues surrounding the BTS comeback event and discuss measures to ensure public safety and welcome global fans. During the meeting, officials reviewed event safety plans to ensure that both residents and international visitors can enjoy the city safely. Measures to minimize potential inconvenience for foreign tourists using accommodation facilities, curb price gouging at traditional markets, and expand entertainment offerings such as performances and exhibitions were also discussed. With large crowds expected at key locations such as Gwanghwamun Square and Seoul Plaza, comprehensive safety management measures will be implemented. These include strengthening reviews of safety plans through expert consultations and dividing the main event areas into smaller zones to prevent crowd-related risks. Event organizers will deploy sufficient safety personnel in line with expected crowd sizes, positioning them at venues and other areas around event sites where large crowds are anticipated. The city will also step up monitoring crowd movements. Using real-time urban data and CCTV systems from the city’s disaster and safety control center, officials will closely track crowd density. On-site conditions will be shared with event organizers and relevant agencies, including police, fire authorities and district offices—to enable immediate responses based on risk levels. On the day of the concert, the city will implement safety measures tailored to each stage of the event. Before and after the performance, crowd flows will be guided to prevent congestion and ensure smooth entry and exit, while additional steps will be taken during the show to avoid overcrowding in specific areas. Firefighters, emergency personnel and vehicles will be deployed, and emergency routes will be secured in preparation for potential incidents. Transportation measures will also be introduced, including the possibility of subway trains passing through nearby stations without stopping and bus route diversions due to road controls. Additional on-site safety steps include securing sufficient restroom facilities, suspending rentals of the city’s bike-sharing service and shared personal mobility devices to ensure pedestrian safety, and cracking down on illegal street vendors and illegal parking. Multilingual safety messages will also be displayed on stage screens and electronic boards at Seoul Plaza. To prevent harm to both foreign visitors and residents, the city will step up efforts to curb unfair business practices. Joint inspections with district offices will focus on compliance with accommodation price display rules and on cracking down on practices such as pressuring guests to cancel reservations. To stabilize accommodation prices, the city plans to work with online travel agencies through industry meetings and cooperate with related organizations, including the Korea Hotel Association and the Seoul Tourism Association. To help disperse demand, accommodation-dense areas outside Jongno and Jung districts will be promoted through the Visit Seoul website. The city will also conduct on-site inspections using undercover inspectors posing as customers to crack down on price gouging and other unfair trade practices. The city officials will also create a festive atmosphere that both domestic and international visitors can enjoy. Streets and public spaces across Seoul will be decorated to welcome global fans, alongside a range of tourism and hands-on experience programs. Around the time of the BTS performance, street performances, random dance festivals and other programs will be held at major locations such as Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul Plaza and Han River parks. It also plans to offer special experiential events for global fans and residents, including unique programs using the Han River bus. Mayor Oh Se-hoon said that holding BTS’s comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square, in the heart of Seoul, presents a prime opportunity to showcase the city’s appeal as a global cultural capital to the world. He added that the city will take a comprehensive approach—covering crowd safety, price gouging and entertainment offerings—to make Seoul a truly global tourism destination that people from around the world can enjoy. 2026-02-04 14:17:54

Ferry service along Han River to fully resume in March after safety checks SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - Seoul's water ferry service along the Han River is expected to resume full operations in early March, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Friday. The service was halted on some routes due to technical glitches after its bombastic launch in September last year. The city government had planned to resume the service in January, but it was delayed as safety inspections and other checks by the Ministry of Interior and Safety took longer than expected. The ministry found numerous violations in regulatory compliance and facility management, prompting it to issue over 50 corrective measures. The city government is now required to submit detailed plans and proposed actions by mid-February to ensure the service resumes in March. Once fully resumed, the service will offer about 16 one-way trips daily, gradually expanding to more routes with up to 12 ferry boats, including express trips, serving as a new transportation option for commuters and tourists while allowing them to enjoy a scenic cruise along the river in the heart of Seoul. A city official vowed, "We will prioritize safety to restore public trust while making the service more convenient for commuters and other users." 2026-01-30 17:08:26

Vehicles registered in Seoul decline for third straight year SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - The number of registered vehicles in Seoul has been declining, while the number of electric vehicles continues to rise. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the total number of registered vehicles in the capital stood at around 3.16 million last year, down 18,335 from the previous year, making Seoul the only city to see a decline, while other cities and provincial areas saw increases. It was the third consecutive decline, following 3.18 million in 2024 and 3.19 million in 2023. Seoul also had the fewest vehicles per resident in the country, with one vehicle for every 2.94 residents, compared with the national average of one vehicle per 1.93 residents. The figure for the southern port city of Busan was one vehicle per 2.05 residents, Gyeonggi Province (one per 2.04), Daejeon (one per 1.93), and the administrative city of Sejong (one per 1.91). By district, Gangnam had the most vehicles with 251,807, with the five districts in southern Seoul – Gangnam, Songpa, Gangseo, Seocho, and Gangdong – accounting for 32.94 percent of the city's total. But the number of electric cars and other eco-friendly vehicles including hydrogen and hybrid cars rose by 74,429 to 424,568, with the cumulative number of EVs surpassing 100,000. Hybrids made up 75.32 percent of eco-friendly vehicles, followed by electric cars at 23.87 percent and hydrogen cars at 0.81 percent. The number of motorists with imported vehicles continued to rise, accounting for 22.58 percent of all registered vehicles, or 713,108, meaning that a quarter of vehicles on Seoul streets are from foreign brands. Male motorists accounted for 63.19 percent and women 36.81 percent. Registrations by men have been declining since 2023, while women's have increased each year. 2026-01-28 13:54:06

Late ex-PM Lee Hae-chan's casket arrives from Viet Nam SEOUL, January 27 (AJP) - The body of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, who died last Sunday during a visit to Viet Nam, was returned home on Tuesday. The senior vice chairperson of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC), a presidential consultative body, died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Lee's casket arrived at Incheon International Airport earlier in the day, where government officials and political figures including senior presidential aide Cho Jung-sik gathered to pay their respects, before being transported to Seoul National University Hospital for his funeral service. According to PUAC, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok will oversee Lee's funeral service along with the ruling Democratic Party (DP)'s leader Jeong Cheong-rae. Mourners will be allowed to pay their respects for five days at a memorial altar at the hospital in central Seoul. Born in 1952 in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, the seven-term lawmaker began his political career in 1988 after fighting for South Korea's democracy in the 1970s and went on to serve in numerous government roles. He remained a respected and influential figure within the liberal camp, even after retiring from politics in 2020. 2026-01-27 10:34:59

Trams to return to Seoul after 58 years, powered by batteries not overhead wires SEOUL, January 26 (AJP)-Trams are set to return to Seoul for the first time in nearly six decades, but in a distinctly modern form: battery-powered, sensor-equipped and free of overhead wires. The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Monday it has completed installation of key infrastructure for the Wirye Line tram, including tracks and a depot, and will begin large-scale test operations next month. The city plans to move the first trainset into the depot early Tuesday, with the transfer taking place overnight between 11 p.m. Monday and 5 a.m. Tuesday to minimize traffic disruption. SMG said it coordinated traffic controls and safety staffing with Songpa Police Station. From February, the city will carry out final checks ahead of opening. Through August, it will conduct mainline trial runs to verify 16 items, including running safety and coordination with ground equipment. From April through December, integrated railway test operations will assess the stability and interoperability of all systems and complete remaining procedures required for commercial service. Because the tram operates on public roads, the city said it will strengthen safety measures by deploying safety personnel at 13 intersections and 35 crosswalks along the route, as well as running a dedicated situation team to respond to accidents. “These trial runs are a critical step to comprehensively verify safety and system integration between vehicles, facilities and operating systems,” said Im Chun-geun, head of the Urban Infrastructure Headquarters. “We will conduct thorough testing so residents can use the line safely and conveniently.” The Wirye Line is Korea’s first catenary-free tram, operating without overhead power lines. Instead, it draws power from a large-capacity battery mounted on the roof, reducing visual clutter in urban areas while lowering construction costs. The 5.4-kilometer line will connect Macheon Station on Subway Line 5 with Bokjeong Station on Line 8 and the Suin–Bundang Line, as well as Namwirye Station on Line 8. Ten trainsets are planned to serve 12 stations and one depot, easing traffic congestion in Wirye New Town. The tram features a low-floor design to improve accessibility for seniors, wheelchair users and other mobility-impaired passengers. It is also equipped with a forward collision warning system that combines radar and camera sensors. When an obstacle is detected, the system alerts the driver and automatically activates emergency braking if there is no response. The exterior design reflects citizen preferences collected through on-site feedback and Seoul’s M-Voting platform. The tram is finished in purple, inspired by King Onjo of Baekje, who established Wirye as his first capital, with a design meant to convey elegance and dignity. Trams were first introduced in Seoul in 1899 and operated for nearly 70 years before being phased out in 1968. The opening of the Wirye Line marks their return to the city after 58 years — this time as a high-tech, battery-powered mode of urban transport. 2026-01-26 14:38:49

More young people move to Seoul SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - More young people have moved to Seoul from other cities and provinces, an analysis of census data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday reveals. Since 2019, the number of people in their 20s and 30s moving into Seoul has exceeded those moving out, except in 2021. Following this trend, the number of people leaving Seoul fell to 473,000 in 2024, down from 751,000 in 2001. Among Seoulites, those relocating within the city declined, while those relocating to the capital from other cities and provinces rose to 35.1 percent in 2024, up from 27.8 percent in 2001. As of 2024, the majority of people who changed their residence to Seoul came from nearby metropolitan areas, with over half or 53 percent moving from Gyeonggi Province and 7.7 percent from Incheon. The main reasons for moving to Seoul were jobs, education, and residential environment including convenient access to schools and other living conditions. Kang Ok-hyun, a city official, said, "Based on the findings, we will develop the city's policies to address changing demographics." 2026-01-22 13:45:27

About a dozen injured as bus crashes onto sidewalk in Seoul SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - A bus crashed onto a sidewalk in Seoul on Friday, leaving two people seriously hurt and about a dozen others injured. According to rescue workers who arrived shortly after the accident, the bus ran onto the sidewalk near Seodaemun subway station at around 1:15 p.m. About 11 people including the bus driver were believed to be passengers on board and suffered minor injuries, while the two people seriously injured were pedestrians. Police said there were no signs of drunk driving but will conduct a drug test on the driver while investigating the exact cause of the accident. 2026-01-16 15:22:06

Seoul city bus service back to normal after wage deal ends record strike SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) -Seoul city buses are back on the roads on Thursday after labor and management reached a wage agreement late Wednesday, ending the longest city bus strike on record. The deal was struck at 11:55 p.m. during a second follow-up mediation session convened by the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission at its special arbitration panel. The talks brought together the Seoul City Bus Labor Union, affiliated with the Korean Automobile Workers Federation, and the Seoul City Transport Business Association. Negotiations were nearly derailed when union representatives attempted to leave the session around 9 p.m., citing a lack of progress. Mediators and Seoul city officials physically blocked the exit and urged both sides to remain at the table, eventually steering talks back on track. Under the agreement, base pay for bus drivers will rise 2.9 percent — higher than the 0.5 percent offered in the initial proposal but slightly below the union’s 3.0 percent demand. The retirement age will be raised from 63 to 64 starting in July, and to 65 beginning in July 2027. The two sides also agreed to form a labor-management-government task force to further discuss the city’s bus operations monitoring system, which the union had sought to abolish. A broader restructuring of the wage system to reflect “ordinary wages,” a key union demand, was excluded from this round of negotiations at the union’s request and will instead be pursued through the courts. The strike began Tuesday after wage talks collapsed, marking the first walkout by Seoul bus drivers in two years. At its peak Wednesday morning, only 562 — about 8 percent — of the city’s 7,018 intracity buses were operating, causing widespread commuter disruption in subzero climate. In response, Seoul expanded emergency transportation measures, increasing rush-hour subway services from 172 to 203 trains, extending peak service hours by two hours, dispatching empty trains to congested stations, and deploying more than twice the usual number of safety personnel at 86 major stations. The city also mobilized chartered buses, deploying 677 vehicles on Tuesday and 763 by Wednesday. With the agreement reached, Seoul will lift all emergency measures. Extended subway operations will return to regular schedules, and district-run shuttle and chartered bus services will end. Mayor Oh Se Hoon welcomed the agreement, praising both sides for continuing dialogue despite difficult conditions. He also thanked residents for their patience and cooperation during the disruption. “The city will do everything it can to strengthen trust between labor and management and ensure that public transportation does not waver in serving the people of Seoul,” Oh said. 2026-01-15 07:22:03

Ice rink in Seoul attracts over 100,000 visitors in less than a month SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Over 100,000 people have visited an ice rink in front of Seoul Plaza since its opening for this winter in mid-December, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Wednesday. The ice rink, which runs until Feb. 8 after opening on Dec. 13 last year, has proven popular among citizens looking to enjoy winter activities at affordable prices, drawing an average of about 4,000 visitors a day, up from last winter's daily average of 3,269. Visitors can skate from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday, with extended hours on Saturdays and public holidays, for just 1,000 Korean won or less than a buck, a price unchanged since the rink's first seasonal opening in 2004. Free rentals of safety gear including helmets and knee pads are available, along with amenities and other facilities for users' convenience. The rink's opening coincided with the city's winter festivities including a lantern festival along the Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, allowing visitors to enjoy urban winter charms throughout the day. An open-air market with makeshift booths selling agricultural produce and other specialty products is adding to the fun, drawing not only rink visitors but also nearby office workers. In particular, farmers from Gunsan in North Jeolla Province are tempting passersby with same-day-harvested strawberries and winter snacks such as roasted sweet potatoes and cuttlefish, selling like hotcakes. "The city government will continue to ensure the safety of all visitors, helping them make good winter memories," said Kim Myeong-ju, a Seoul city official. 2026-01-14 15:05:52

Seoul's lantern festival extended for two more weeks SEOUL, January 2 (AJP) - Seoul's annual lantern festival along the Cheonggye Stream will be extended by two more weeks, organizers said on Friday. In its 17th year, the festival featuring around 500 lanterns made from traditional handmade paper, as well as glowing displays and other festive decorations, was supposed to close this weekend but will now continue to illuminate the capital until mid-January. The extension came as the festival has drawn nearly 300 million people including foreign travelers, in about three weeks since its opening on Dec. 12. "Thanks to the strong interest and support from citizens and tourists, we decided to extend the festival," said Kil Ki-yeon, CEO of Seoul Tourism Organization. Except for next Monday, when it will be closed for maintenance and preparations, the festival runs nightly from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Jan. 18, with closing extended by one hour to accommodate after-work crowds. But visitors should hurry to see some of the highlights such as a 73-meter-long installation featuring Magikarp, a piscine Pokémon with reddish-orange scales before it is removed this week to make way for new displays. 2026-01-02 14:05:41