More Seoul crossings to get countdown timers

A pedestrian traffic signal in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul (Gangnam-gu Office)

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday that it plans to expand the number of upgraded pedestrian crossings with countdown timers, aiming to have them installed at 4,000 crosswalks by 2030.

Unlike conventional pedestrian traffic lights, those with timers display the remaining time for red lights as well as green, automatically indicating the time for the next signal change.

Where they have been installed, countdown crosswalks have played a significant role in decreasing the number of jaywalking attempts, according to the Korea Road Traffic Authority.

The city government began an initial effort to expand the number of crossings with the new pedestrian traffic lights to 350, focusing on crowded areas of Seoul, including the tourist-favored shopping districts of Myeong-dong and Gangnam-gu, in 2024.

While the city government is set to install the new timers at 650 pedestrian crossings this year, it plans to locate these traffic signals at almost 600 sites across the city each year after consulting 25 district offices and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Seoul plans to put the traffic signals at crossings where roads with four or more lanes connect to six-lane roads to discourage the most high-risk jaywalking.

In a city government survey of 500 residents carried out in November, some 98 percent of the respondents said they were happy with the upgraded traffic signals. A similar percentage felt more crossings needed such traffic lights.

“Increasing the number of pedestrian traffic lights with signal countdown timers is a prime example of a pedestrian-friendly policy that enhances safety and convenience. We will continue implementing innovative measures to allow the people to enjoy a safer and more efficient traffic environment,” the Seoul Metropolitan Government said in a press release Wednesday.