Seoul Marathons Spark Citizen Outcry Over Traffic Chaos and Commercialization
A surge in marathon events across South Korea, particularly in Seoul, is triggering widespread frustration among residents and businesses grappling with traffic disruptions and questioning the prioritization of privately-organized races.
A Seoul resident, identified as Mr. Oh, experienced this firsthand on November 2nd. What should have been a quick 10-minute drive to Gyeongdong Market in Dongdaemun stretched to a grueling 90 minutes due to a citywide marathon. “Cars trying to detour through narrow side streets got stuck, and the whole route to the market was a mess,” he recounted, adding that outdated navigation apps and inadequately trained volunteer traffic guides exacerbated the problem, even leading to minor accidents and arguments.
The incident is emblematic of a growing trend. According to data presented by lawmaker Park Jeong-ha of the People Power Party (PPP) to the National Police Agency, the number of marathons held across Korea has exploded in recent years. Just 19 events took place in 2020, while 205 were held in 2023, and a staggering 254 marathons occurred last year, drawing over 1 million participants. This represents a more than thirteenfold increase in just four years.
The proliferation of races is not without consequence. Residents and business owners near marathon routes are routinely subjected to traffic restrictions and limited access. Online forums have been inundated with complaints, including reports of missed buses and lost revenue. In April, merchants at the Mapo Agricultural and Marine Products Market staged a protest, arguing that “frequent traffic control due to marathons severely hurts business.”
A significant portion of these marathons are organized by media organizations and sports companies primarily as profit-making ventures. Organizers collect entry fees – typically between 70,000 and 80,000 won per person – and secure corporate sponsorships. While a portion of the proceeds may be directed towards charitable causes, the majority of revenue benefits the event hosts.
The financial burden of managing these events largely falls on public resources. Over the past three years, 36,212 police officers have been deployed to control traffic for 807 marathons, with no compensation provided to the organizers. “Police provide traffic control as a public service. We don’t receive any compensation from the organizers,” a senior official stated.
The situation has prompted calls for a more coordinated approach to regulating the number and frequency of marathons, emphasizing consultation with local communities. Park Seong-bae, a professor of sports industry at Hanyang University, argues that the sheer volume of events has diminished their significance. “Most are privately organized, but they rely heavily on administrative support and public resources,” he explained. “It’s necessary to impose limits, considering priorities, symbolism, and local economic impact.”
Professor Park further emphasized the need for public discussion to establish a reasonable number of marathons and for authorities to scrutinize event organizers, ensuring responsible use of public facilities and preventing excessive event hosting by single companies. The current situation, he suggests, requires a fundamental reassessment of the balance between private profit and public benefit.
