Prime Minister Han Seong-sook on the 5th visited the site of the "Seoul World Fireworks Festival 2026," which is expected to draw more than 1 million spectators, to conduct a safety inspection.
That afternoon, the prime minister visited the festival grounds at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul and received briefings from the city, police, fire authorities, and other related agencies on venue safety management, crowd dispersal, and traffic measures.
According to the city of Seoul, more than 1 million spectators are expected to attend the festival that day. It is projected that 500,000 to 600,000 people will gather in and around Yeouido Hangang Park, and more than 10,000 safety personnel, including police, will be deployed.
The prime minister said, "1 million is a truly enormous number," and emphasized, "Please thoroughly manage spectator movement routes and crowded areas to prevent crowd crush incidents caused by high density."
She also stressed managing crowds dispersing after the festival ends. Noting the high likelihood that dispersing crowds will pack nearby subway stations, the prime minister asked for thorough management of the stations as well. To disperse spectators, the city of Seoul plans to set one-way routes and stage a DJ performance.
The prime minister expressed gratitude for the efforts of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), the city of Seoul, police and fire authorities, Hanwha, and other related agencies working to ensure festival safety, and added, "Please do your utmost on safety management until the very last moment of the event."