Fans of the K-Pop boy group BTS wait in the rain outside Central Park a day ahead of BTS’ outdoor performance on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” New York City, May 14, 2019. Reuters-Yonhap
Seoul Metropolitan Government is bracing for a massive encampment of ticketless BTS fans at Gwanghwamun Square, hampered by legal limitations that prevent police from forcibly clearing the area.
The global K-pop act is scheduled to hold a free concert, “BTS The Comeback Live — Arirang,” on March 21. With all 15,000 tickets selling out immediately upon release on Feb. 23 and nearby hotels fully booked, some fans, known as ARMY, are coordinating online to pitch tents in the square a day before the show to secure prime viewing spots.
Under current Korean law, authorities cannot legally prevent individuals from occupying public spaces like sidewalks if their sole purpose is waiting for an event, provided they do not block roadways.
Because waiting does not constitute an illegal assembly, law enforcement is restricted to basic crowd control rather than forced dispersal.
“Although we can impose a fine for unauthorized occupation, there is no basis unless it is an illegal act or a case that causes damage to other pedestrians,” a city official said. “We can only maintain basic order and guide crowd movement.”
Fans of K-pop boy group BTS wait in the rain outside Central Park a day ahead of BTS’ performance on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” New York City, May 14, 2019. Reuters-Yonhap
The impending situation mirrors previous international BTS performances. Fans camped out four to five days in advance for the group’s October 2018 concert at Citi Field in New York. The local police department was limited to providing perimeter security around the encampments.
Seoul city government and police plan to establish supplementary crowd control measures after reviewing the event safety management plan submitted Tuesday by the concert organizer, HYBE. A city official noted that full-scale discussions will commence once the safety review concludes.
Given the unprecedented scale of the event, the central government is mobilizing a high-level response. Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung will preside over an emergency meeting on March 11 to coordinate efforts between the culture, health and transport ministries, alongside Seoul city government and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
A joint government safety team will be deployed to the venue from March 19 to 20, followed by a final on-site inspection by Yun on the morning of the concert.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.