Seoul to close roads for fireworks festival and marathon this weekend
Quick Look
Seoul will implement rolling road closures on Saturday and Sunday due to the 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival at Yeouido and the YTN Seoul Tour Marathon in the city center, affecting major routes including Yeouidong-ro, Wonhyo Bridge, Sejong-daero, Euljiro, and Cheonggyecheon-ro, with public transit adjustments and over 1,600 officers deployed to manage traffic.
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Why It Matters
The 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival and YTN Seoul Tour Marathon are recurring annual events that attract large crowds and require traffic management in Seoul.
Drivers in Seoul may want to steer clear of Yeouido on Saturday and the city center Sunday morning, when a fireworks festival and marathon will trigger rolling road closures across some of the capital’s busiest routes.
The biggest disruption will come Saturday around Yeouido, where the 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival is expected to draw heavy crowds along the Han River.
Yeouidong-ro between the southern end of Mapo Bridge and the 63 Building will be completely closed to traffic from 3 p.m. until midnight Saturday.
Wonhyo Bridge will close in both directions even earlier, from 9 a.m. Saturday until 3 a.m. Sunday, to allow for firework equipment installation and removal.
Congestion is likely to build from midafternoon and remain heavy well after the fireworks end. The festival runs from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., with the main fireworks show starting at 8 p.m.
Traffic entering Yeouido may also be restricted at several access points, while entry from Olympic-daero and Nodeul-ro toward the 63 Building could be controlled depending on crowd conditions. After the show, one lane each on Mapo Bridge and Hangang Bridge may be converted into additional pedestrian space as crowds leave the area.
Public transit will not be entirely immune. Seoul plans additional service on subway Lines 5 and 9, but Line 5 trains may skip Yeouinaru Station or station entrances may be closed if crowds become too dense between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The city recommends using Yeouido, Mapo or Saetgang stations instead. Twenty-four bus routes will also be temporarily diverted because of the road closures.
The disruption then shifts north on Sunday morning.
The YTN Seoul Tour Marathon starts at Seoul Plaza and takes runners through Sejong-daero, Jongno, Euljiro and Cheonggyecheon before returning toward Mugyo-ro. The race includes 11-kilometer and half-marathon events.
Police will close parts of Sejong-daero from 6:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Euljiro between the Euljiro 1-ga and Euljiro 3-ga intersections will be blocked from 7:30 a.m. to 9:10 a.m., while sections of Cheonggyecheon-ro will be restricted on a rolling basis from 7:45 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. as runners pass.
About 1,610 police officers and volunteer traffic wardens will be deployed over the weekend to manage detours and traffic flow, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
