Ahead of BTS's concert, South Korea issues disaster alert. Safety checks conducted for crowd control and emergency response.
March/20/2026 17:23
As BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan)'s performance approaches the next day, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a disaster crisis alert for the concert venue. Minister Choi Hyun-young visited the site at Gwanghwamun, where BTS's comeback performance will take place, and the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, where the Ministry's situation management headquarters will be set up, to directly inspect the preparation status and safety management system. This inspection was conducted to comprehensively confirm the safety of large-scale events attracting global attention, including crowd density, stage facility safety, and emergency response systems. Particularly, around 170,000 to a maximum of 260,000 spectators are expected to gather in the Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung area, so the cooperation system between the organizers and related agencies was re-examined on-site, focusing on establishing a safe viewing environment for the performance. To establish a more thorough safety response system, the Ministry of Culture announced a disaster crisis alert at the 'caution' level for the concert venue from 7 AM on the 21st to 7 AM on the 22nd in Jung-gu and Jongno-gu, Seoul. This alert is based on the 'Disaster and Safety Management Basic Act,' and it is the first time a crisis alert has been issued for disasters at a concert venue. Minister Choi Hyun-young stated, 'This event is a symbolic moment to share the charm of 'K-Culture' with fans worldwide and the Korean people, so safety is the top priority.' He added, 'The government will work closely with the organizers and related agencies to ensure that the audience can enjoy the performance safely and joyfully.' He also warned that ticket scalping undermines fair performance culture and that purchasing tickets from scalpers could lead to entry restrictions or inability to attend the performance due to identity verification at the venue, urging special caution. BTS released their 5th full album 'ARIRANG' today and will hold a comeback live performance in the Gwanghwamun Square area at 8 PM on the 21st. The concert will be streamed live worldwide through Netflix.
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