City to close, partially block roads for summit

Police said several roads around COEX in southern Seoul will be closed or partially blocked during the nuclear summit for security reasons.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police yesterday announced a traffic control plan that will be implemented during 2012 Nuclear Security Summit on March 26-27. According to the police, they will dispatch 2,500 officers in the capital city’s major roads including the Olympic Expressway and roads around COEX in southern Seoul that usually have heavy traffic volume.

The police will close roads that surround COEX, the venue of the summit, five lanes of six-lane roads Bongeunsa Street and Asem Street, and close half of Teheran Street (a 12-lane road) and Yeongdong Boulevard (a 14-lane road) from midnight of Monday, March 26 to 10:00 p.m. Tuesday. The police said each open lane for Bongeunsa Street and Asem Street will be designated as a one-way street so residents living around the area can commute.

In addition, cargo trucks weighing more than 3.6 tons or carrying explosive substances such as high pressure gas will not be allowed on sections of the Olympic Expressway, the Gangbyeon Expressway and several roads in Gangnam District and Songpa District in southern Seoul from 2:00 p.m. Monday to 10:00 p.m. Tuesday.

By Kwon Sang-soo [sakwon80@joongang.co.kr]