▲ Facilities related to the Seoul International Fireworks Festival are installed at a Yeouido park in Seoul on Sept. 2, 2026. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- Traffic congestion is expected in central Seoul this weekend due to an international fireworks festival and a marathon, police said Friday.

The Seoul International Fireworks Festival is set to take place in Yeouido on Saturday, while the YTN Seoul Tour Marathon will be held on major roads in downtown Seoul on Sunday morning.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it will completely restrict vehicle traffic on Yeouidong-ro stretching from the south end of Mapo Grand Bridge to the 63 Building from 3 p.m. Saturday to midnight Sunday.

Vehicle traffic on nearby Wonhyo Grand Bridge will also be completely restricted in both directions from 9 a.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday due to preparations and dismantling of the event.

The police plan to allow only nearby apartment residents and event vehicles to pass through the restricted roads.

In addition, subway trains will not stop at Yeouinaru Station, where the largest crowd is expected, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

As this year's fireworks festival will feature a pre-festival event for the first time, the police plan to deploy personnel to roads, subway stations and riverside parks around Yeouido from Friday evening.

The YTN Seoul Tour Marathon will take place from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sunday on a course that starts at Seoul City Hall Plaza, passes through Sejongdaero Intersection, Jongno, Euljiro and Cheonggyecheonro, and ends in Mugyoro, the police said, warning of traffic congestion in downtown areas.

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