유청모
| 2026-02-09 15:41:32
BTS concert-police
Police unveil crowd safety measures for BTS concert
SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- Police said Monday they will deploy counter-terrorism special forces in preparation for K-pop supergroup BTS' Seoul concert, slated for March 21, expecting a crowd of up to 260,000 would gather at Gwanghwamun Square, the venue for the concert, and its surrounding areas.
Park Jeong-bo, commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said his agency will form a special task force led by the public safety deputy commissioner to ensure that the concert would proceed safely through the preparation of all functions.
Police estimate that the maximum number of 260,000 people will gather in areas from the concert stage at the northern starting point of Gwanghwamun Square to Sungnyemun gate, including 230,000 expected between the square and Daehanmun, the main gate of Deoksu Palace.
"While we don't know for sure if the estimate will actually come true, we'll be prepared for as many people as possible to gather," Park said in a media briefing.
Police plan to manage crowd flow and safety conditions by dividing the venue into four zones based on crowd density -- core zone, hot zone, warm zone and cold zone.
Nine police stations will deploy 13 violent crime teams to respond to possible outbreaks of violence, riots and terrorism, while special police forces will conduct anti-terrorism operations, including inspecting for explosives and picking out people with suspicious behavior.
Hybe, the K-pop company behind BTS and the organizer of the upcoming concert, has said it will secure 3,553 security personnel, but Park said his agency will request more security personnel depending on the crowd size. "With so many people gathering on the roads, we must be fully prepared to ensure public safety," he said.
Police also said they will be prepared to crack down on ticket-related fraud and illegalities.
(END)
[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]