On Labor Day, Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is crowded with residents and tourists. [Photo=Yonhap]
Crowds surged across Seoul, on expressways and at Incheon International Airport on the first day of a holiday stretch that can run as long as five days. In Seongsu-dong in Seoul’s Seongdong district, a 30th anniversary event for the Japanese anime and game franchise “Pokemon” drew such heavy foot traffic that police and firefighters were dispatched over safety concerns.
According to the game industry, Pokemon Korea opened “Pokemon Mega Festa 2026” in the Seongsu area to mark the 30th anniversary of “Pokemonster.” Large crowds arrived early, and with Seongsu already busy on weekends, the influx intensified congestion. At one point, the Seoul city government estimated about 40,000 people in the Seongsu cafe street area. Police received multiple reports warning that the crowd could lead to an accident.
No injuries were reported, but organizers canceled events in stages starting around noon to prevent accidents. When the planned distribution of commemorative gifts was also halted, some visitors who had waited for a long time protested at the site.
Pokemon Korea said on its official social media accounts, “The event has been canceled for on-site safety reasons,” adding that it would provide the gifts online later. It urged those who meet the requirements to “go home without worry.”
Holiday travel also brought heavy congestion on highways nationwide. At one point in the morning, the estimated travel time from Seoul to Busan rose to as much as 8 hours 40 minutes. The Korea Expressway Corp. had forecast 6.05 million vehicles on expressways nationwide for the day.
With more overseas travelers, long lines formed for boarding procedures at Incheon International Airport. The government projected about 1.3 million people would pass through the airport from the previous day through Children’s Day on May 5. With nearby countries including Japan and China also observing holiday periods this weekend, more international travelers are expected to enter South Korea via Incheon, the report said.
A Justice Ministry official said authorities will implement special staffing measures for immigration screening to prepare for a sharp rise in travelers. The official said major departure screening areas will open 30 minutes earlier, and special mobile teams and emergency standby units will be assigned to support immigration processing.
According to the game industry, Pokemon Korea opened “Pokemon Mega Festa 2026” in the Seongsu area to mark the 30th anniversary of “Pokemonster.” Large crowds arrived early, and with Seongsu already busy on weekends, the influx intensified congestion. At one point, the Seoul city government estimated about 40,000 people in the Seongsu cafe street area. Police received multiple reports warning that the crowd could lead to an accident.
No injuries were reported, but organizers canceled events in stages starting around noon to prevent accidents. When the planned distribution of commemorative gifts was also halted, some visitors who had waited for a long time protested at the site.
Pokemon Korea said on its official social media accounts, “The event has been canceled for on-site safety reasons,” adding that it would provide the gifts online later. It urged those who meet the requirements to “go home without worry.”
Holiday travel also brought heavy congestion on highways nationwide. At one point in the morning, the estimated travel time from Seoul to Busan rose to as much as 8 hours 40 minutes. The Korea Expressway Corp. had forecast 6.05 million vehicles on expressways nationwide for the day.
With more overseas travelers, long lines formed for boarding procedures at Incheon International Airport. The government projected about 1.3 million people would pass through the airport from the previous day through Children’s Day on May 5. With nearby countries including Japan and China also observing holiday periods this weekend, more international travelers are expected to enter South Korea via Incheon, the report said.
A Justice Ministry official said authorities will implement special staffing measures for immigration screening to prepare for a sharp rise in travelers. The official said major departure screening areas will open 30 minutes earlier, and special mobile teams and emergency standby units will be assigned to support immigration processing.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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