This weekend, a lantern festival will be held in downtown Seoul, and traffic will be restricted. A large gathering is also expected, so traffic congestion is anticipated.
According to police and the city of Seoul, the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage event titled "2025 Lantern Festival" will be held on the 26th and 27th at Jogyesa, located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The Lantern Festival has been a traditional cultural event that has continued for about 1,200 years since the Unified Silla period. The Lantern Festival Preservation Committee will host the event.
The representative event of the Lantern Festival, the lantern procession, will take place on the 26th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with the theme "Peace in the world, compassion in the heart," featuring over 60 groups and around 20,000 citizens participating. From 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., a "Daedong Gathering" will be held at Jongno Bosingak intersection, where citizens can enjoy Ganggangsullae, musical performances, and more.
The city of Seoul will gradually restrict major roads in the downtown area from 1 p.m. on the 26th to 3 a.m. on the 27th. On the 26th, the section from Jongno 1-ga intersection to Heunginjimun will be restricted from 1 p.m. to the next day's 3 a.m., the section from Sejong-daero intersection to Jongno 1-ga intersection will be restricted from 6 p.m. to the next day's 1 a.m., the section from Anguk intersection to Jongno 1-ga intersection will be restricted from 6 p.m. to the next day's 1 a.m., and the section from Dongguk University to Heunginjimun will be fully restricted from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
On the 27th, all lanes from Anguk intersection to Jongno 1-ga intersection will be restricted from 9 a.m. to midnight. Ten central bus stops located at Jongno 1-ga intersection to Heunginjimun will move to the roadside. Buses passing through the Jongno area will detour.
According to police, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of the Sarang Jeil Church, leading the Liberty Unification Party, has reported that a gathering of 180,000 people will take place at Sejong-daero in Jongno-gu at 1 p.m. on the 26th. Traffic will also be restricted due to the gathering and march on Seocho Central Road (from Gyodae Station intersection to Seoul National University of Education intersection) and Banpo Road (in front of the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office).