Seoul: Prime Minister Kim Min-seok inspected on-site safety ahead of K-pop group BTS' comeback concert in central Seoul on Saturday. With hours to go until the 8 p.m. concert at Gwanghwamun Square, Kim visited a situation room set up for the event at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, where he was briefed by officials from the interior ministry, the Seoul metropolitan government, the police and firefighting agencies, and Hybe, the K-pop company behind BTS.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim instructed the officials to ensure the safety of crowds surrounding the square, step up vigilance against terror threats, and integrate road traffic controls and public transport services to facilitate people's orderly exit after the concert, among other things. He also reminded Hybe that national resources have been mobilized to support the success of their event.
Kim emphasized the importance of the company feeling a sense of responsibility and recognizing the support and inconvenience borne by the nation and its people. Speaking to the venue, Kim voiced hope that the concert will highlight the significance of the square as a national, historical, and democratic space.
Around 260,000 people are expected to gather for the show, in the area stretching from the square to Sungnye Gate, over a kilometer away. Security has been tightened with the planned deployment of 15,000 safety management personnel, including some 6,700 police officers, to the site.