Crowds expected on street, in stadiums, for 2nd World Cup match

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Crowds expected on street, in stadiums, for 2nd World Cup match

Published: 28 Nov. 2022, 17:59 Updated: 28 Nov. 2022, 18:13

A huge screen is installed in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul to show the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar group stage match between South Korea and Ghana on Monday. [NEWS1]

Despite the rainy weather, tens of thousands of people are expected to hit the streets Monday night to root for the South Korean national football team in its match against Ghana.

The police stepped up safety measures as more people were expected compared to the first World Cup match against Uruguay in Qatar last Thursday.

According to the official supporters’ club for the South Korean national soccer team, nicknamed the Red Devils, mass events are planned for 10 p.m. in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, the World Cup Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi, and the Football Stadium in Incheon.

A heavy rain advisory was issued Monday afternoon predicting rainfall of up to 30 millimeters per hour accompanied by lightning.

“Street cheering events will still take place whether or not it is raining,” read a notice from the Red Devils posted on Instagram on Monday. The group advised people to wear a raincoat and bring extra clothes. “Our cheering will get hotter even in the rain,” it vowed.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday instructed authorities and the Red Devils to ensure safety measures for fans, the prime minister office said Monday.

The government and the police are being particularly careful with crowd safety measures in the wake of the Itaewon crowd surge on Oct. 29, when 158 people were killed during Halloween celebrations in central Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood.

According to preliminary police data, approximately 39,000 people are expected to attend cheering events at six major venues in Korea, including 30,000 people in Gwanghwamun, double the number for the first match with Uruguay.

Outside Seoul, the police expected 1,500 people to come to Incheon Dowon Football Stadium; 5,000 to Suwon World Cup Stadium; 1,500 to Anyang Stadium; 500 to Uijeongbu Stadium; and 500 to Uijeongbu Shinhan University Indoor Gymnasium.

The police are to deploy 316 police officers, 14 riot squads and 32 SWAT officers nationwide to the football events.

In Gwanghwamun Square alone, some 150 police officers, 700 officers in 12 riot squads, and 20 SWAT officers are being deployed.

About 500 police were dispatched for the match with Uruguay, including 41 police officers and eight riot squads. There were no injuries reported.

“We plan to maintain a close cooperative system with local governments and the organizer, and deploy riot squads and SWAT officers to do our best to maintain order and counter-terrorism activities,” the police said. “We also expect the public attending street cheering events to show mature behavior as they did in the Uruguay match.”

The Sejong Center bus stop in Gwanghwamun Square is to be temporarily closed from 7 p.m. to midnight and all buses going there will be rerouted. In addition, trains on Seoul Metro Line 5 may pass Gwanghwamun Station without stopping if crowds are too large.

Between midnight and 1 a.m., more metro cars for lines 1, 2, 3, and 5 will be added. The last bus service time for 46 city bus routes passing Gwanghwamun will be extended to 12:30.

Following the match against Ghana on Monday, Team Korea is set to hold its last game in the group stage against Portugal on Friday at midnight.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]