Frequent races have caused serious disruptions for residents

City plans strict review of next year's schedules, routes and safety plans

Organizers asked to hold off on registration until reviews are complete

Runners set off at the 23rd Gangnam International Peace Marathon near Bongeunsa-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. (Not directly related to the article.) [Yonhap]
Runners set off at the 23rd Gangnam International Peace Marathon near Bongeunsa-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. (Not directly related to the article.) [Yonhap]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday it will form a joint oversight body with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other agencies to address the growing public disruption caused by frequent downtown marathon events. The city said it plans to enforce stricter controls starting with next year's races.

A string of large-scale marathons held in central Seoul in recent months has fueled mounting complaints from residents, with prolonged traffic jams, restricted movement, noise and litter all adding to the strain.

Last weekend in particular, major roads across the city — from Gwanghwamun to Olympic Park and from Sangam to Yeouido — were blocked, forcing 190 city bus routes to detour and drawing widespread public frustration.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon weighed in Monday, posting on SNS that residents had suffered significant inconvenience when key roads were shut down for a downtown marathon on Sunday, and pledging to renegotiate marathon routes and schedules from scratch.

The city had already taken steps earlier this year, establishing marathon guidelines that moved start times earlier and capped participant numbers by venue. The number of city-sponsored races was also cut by more than half, from 15 last year to seven this year.

However, marathon events do not require municipal permits or approval, and a significant number are held under the sponsorship of central government ministries, limiting what the city can do on its own. Despite Seoul's efforts, the number of centrally sponsored races surged from one last year to 23 this year, pushing the total number of large-scale traffic control operations past 30 this year.

Amid this, the National Assembly recently passed an amendment to the National Sports Promotion Act, set to take effect April 21 next year. Under the revised law, organizers of sporting events with 1,000 or more participants must notify the head of the relevant local government of their safety management plan in advance, and the local government head may request revisions.

In response, Seoul said it will form a consultative body with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other relevant agencies to conduct a rigorous review of safety management plans — covering schedules, routes and traffic detours — for downtown marathons next year.

Details will be announced through an official city notice next month. The city also asked organizers already planning downtown marathons for next year to refrain from opening participant registration until safety management plans and traffic control arrangements have been finalized.

"We recognize that marathons make a meaningful contribution to public health, but the inconvenience that ordinary residents have been experiencing from downtown races has become a real problem," said Jo Seong-ho, director of Seoul's Tourism and Sports Bureau. "We plan to form a consultative body with police and other relevant agencies and manage the situation thoroughly."


ikson@heraldcorp.com