Seoul to restrict traffic during biggest-ever military parade

Social Affairs

Published: 24 Sep. 2023, 18:15 Updated: 26 Sep. 2023, 14:43

Seoul to restrict traffic during biggest-ever military parade

Military helicopters flying over downtown Seoul on Friday during a practice for the upcoming parade on Tuesday. The Korean military is holding a parade for the first time since 2013. [YONHAP]

Seoul's city government and the police will restrict traffic in downtown Seoul on Tuesday for a military parade to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean armed forces.

L-SAM and U.S. troops to appear at large-scale military parade on Sept. 26

All roads entering the Namdaemun and Gyeongbok Palace areas will be closed off, mostly from 2 p.m.

While traffic will resume on some roads as early as 4:40 p.m. some will be closed until the following morning.

The police will also restrict traffic between 1:30 p.m. and 3:23 p.m. along the two ingress routes troops will take from Segok-dong in southern Seoul to the parade venue in the downtown area.

Traffic controls along the two routes will be lifted 40 minutes after the units pass.

The troop movement route

The infantry units attending the parade will move from Segok-dong and head along the Han River on the Gangbyeong Expressway before entering downtown.

Mechanized units with armored vehicles will move along the southern outskirts of Seoul before turning toward Bangbae and Dongjak, after which they will cross the Hangang Bridge and head for Namdaemun.

The infantry will be in transit between 1:40 p.m. and 2:50 p.m., while the mechanized units will be in transit between 1:30 p.m. and 3:23 p.m.

The military parade through downtown Seoul will begin at 4 p.m.

Traffic closures in central Seoul

It's the first such parade in the downtown area in 10 years, the previous one talking place in 2013.

Although central Seoul had hosted military parades every five years from 1998, the liberal Moon Jae-in administration downsized the 2018 event to an air show in a bid to improve relations with North Korea.

According to the South Korean military, this year’s parade will be the biggest ever.

The public will get its first look at several new weapon systems, including the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM), which was developed to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles.

Some 6,700 service members will participate in this year's military celebration, showcasing 340 pieces of kit including the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer, K2 Black Panther main battle tank and unmanned submersibles.

Aerial drones will also be on display during the parade. This is the first time the drone operation command will be participating in the parade since its establishment earlier this month.

Some 300 soldiers from the Eight U.S. Army will march alongside the Korean military to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the military alliance between South Korea and the United States. It's the first time U.S. troops have taken part in the parade.

The granddaughters of Mark Wayne Clark, the UN Command’s commander-in-chief who signed the armistice that ended the fighting of the 1950-1953 Korean War, were invited to this year's parade.

Korea's Armed Forces Day is Oct. 1.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]