On the afternoon of the 11th, a man in his 50s protests on top of the arches of the Han River Bridge in Seoul. The object added to the right structure is the anti-climbing facility. /News1

A high-altitude protest on the arch structure of the Han River Bridge in Seoul has taken place again after more than a year. Although 'ascension prevention facilities' have been installed to prevent people from climbing the arch of the Han River Bridge, there are claims that they are not functioning as intended.

A person surnamed Song, 55, belonging to the Advocacy Group for Orphaned Rights, climbed onto the arch structure of the Han River Bridge around 3:30 p.m. on the 11th and staged a sit-in. Song demanded the truth to be revealed regarding the harm experienced in a child care facility during childhood. He voluntarily descended around 9:20 p.m., about six hours after climbing.

High-altitude protests on the Han River Bridge are recurrent. Last April, a man in his 50s climbed onto the arch during rush hour and protested for more than five hours. In 2020, a sit-in demanding amendments to laws concerning men also took place at the same location.

The anti-climbing facility installed at Han River Bridge in Seoul. Inside the red circle, there is a dark gray roller-type device. It is designed to make people slip when they climb. Sharp spikes are installed above it. However, a Seoul official said, “The spikes are ineffective if covered with non-woven fabric, and we are considering measures.” /Reporter Kim Gwan-rae
The roller-type anti-climbing facility installed at Han River Bridge in Seoul. It has been in operation for over 20 years since its introduction in 2004. The city of Seoul explains that they periodically perform oiling works. /Provided by Seoul City

There are a total of 28 bridges over the Han River within the jurisdiction of Seoul. Among them, four bridges, including the Han River Bridge, Yanghwa Bridge, Seogang Bridge, and Guri-Amsa Bridge, have arch-shaped structures.

The city of Seoul has installed roller-type ascension prevention facilities to prevent protesters from climbing onto the arch structures of the bridges. In 2004, the Han River Bridge was fitted with devices that rotate to slip anyone trying to walk up a slope, along with spikes densely arranged, which were also installed at Yanghwa Bridge in 2016. However, Seogang Bridge and Guri-Amsa Bridge are constructed in such a way that makes it difficult for a person to climb, so they do not have separate ascension prevention facilities.

Night view of Han River Bridge in Seoul. The arch structure is illuminated. /Captured from Seoul City website

However, Song was able to climb to the top of the arch of the Han River Bridge with these ascension prevention facilities installed and stage a sit-in for six hours. It has been pointed out that even if the roller-type facilities function properly, there is still a space for the protester to step and climb.

At the corner of the Han River Bridge arch, scenic lighting has been installed to create a beautiful night view when viewed from Han River Park. The flat area above the lighting appears to have acted as a foothold next to the roller-type prevention facilities. The spike facilities can also be stepped over and traversed if the protester covers them with non-woven fabric or something similar.

The city of Seoul states that even if the ascension prevention facilities function properly, they cannot completely prevent someone from attempting to climb onto the arch. A representative from the city said, "Even if the rollers work well, there are people who step on the nearby scenic lighting to climb up," adding, "In the case of the Han River Bridge, we are also considering the method of completely removing the scenic lighting that can serve as a foothold."