Seoul to reroute traffic for Armed Forces Day parade on Oct. 1

Traffic in downtown Seoul will be restricted next month during a military parade celebrating the 76th anniversary of the founding of South Korea’s military.

Military helicopters fly over downtown Seoul on Aug. 14 during a rehearsal for the upcoming Armed Forces Day parade on Oct. 1. [NEWS1]

Traffic in downtown Seoul will be restricted next month during a military parade celebrating the 76th anniversary of the founding of South Korea’s military.

Roads near Namdaemun and Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul will be affected by the restrictions during the Armed Forces Day parade on Oct. 1.

A total of 149 buses, including city tour buses, village buses and airport limousines, will be rerouted through temporary routes.

Subway services on lines No. 2, 3 and 5, which pass near Gwanghwamun, will also be increased on this day. Detailed transportation plans will be announced next week, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Experts also conducted road safety inspections, as military equipment, including tanks and self-propelled howitzers, will be transported from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, to Gwanghwamun in central Seoul, and then to Goyang, Gyeonggi, the city government said.

This marks the second consecutive year that a military parade marking Armed Forces Day will take place after resuming last year for the first time in a decade.

Previously, the event was held every five years but was not conducted under the Moon Jae-in administration in an effort to improve relations with North Korea.

Since August, the city government has been sending public safety alerts to residents’ phones regarding noise from air show rehearsals.

Police will be dispatched to the event, and the 119 emergency situation room will operate for any emergencies.

The Seoul city government will hold a meeting on Friday with the Defense Ministry and district offices to review preparations for the event.

This year, the government has designated Armed Forces Day as a temporary holiday to show support for the nation’s military personnel.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]