Seoul, Nov 6 (IANS) Traffic congestion is expected in central Seoul this weekend due to labour rallies and marathon events, police said Friday.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a major umbrella labour union, plans to hold a preliminary rally near the Seoul Regional Employment and Labour Office in downtown Seoul at 1 pm on Saturday, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
KCTU members will then march through downtown Seoul before holding their main rally for about an hour on the road between Sungnyemun Intersection and Taepyeong Intersection. They are scheduled to march back to the labour office from 4 pm, Yonhap News Agency reported.
In the Yeouido area, the “Save Race Marathon,” sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will take place from 8 am on Saturday, police said.
The course starts at Yeouido Park, crosses the Sogang Grand Bridge, and reaches a turnaround point at the Gwangheungchang Station intersection. As a result, vehicle traffic on the Han River bridge will be restricted from 7:50 am to 9:15 am.
Traffic in Yeouido is expected to become congested again from 2 pm, when another major umbrella labour group, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, is scheduled to hold a rally.
On Sunday, the 2026 Liberty and Democracy Marathon, sponsored by the Seoul metropolitan government, is scheduled to begin at 7:30 am in central Seoul, police said.
The race will start at Seoul Plaza, pass through the Heunginjimun gate and Euljiro and return to the starting point. Police said the road between the Sejongdaero intersection and the Heunginjimun intersection will be completely closed to vehicle traffic from 7:30 am to 8:35 am.
On November 2, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said 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 major traffic disruptions caused by a race Sunday, pledging an overhaul to races next year.
“Ultimately, we were not able to prevent large-scale inconveniences,” Oh wrote on Facebook. “We will revisit the route and schedule for next year’s events from scratch.”
Oh said the city government cut the number of marathons it sponsored to seven this year from last year’s 15, but the number of races backed by the central government jumped to 23 this year from just one in 2025.
He noted that running events are not subject to city approval, and pledged to work with the central government, police and event organisers to minimise inconveniences.
–IANS
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