Thousands of police prepare to deploy to South Korea’s capital ahead of K-pop’s most anticipated comeback
Seoul has stepped up security ahead of BTS’s huge comeback concert on Saturday, which more than a quarter of a million fans are expected to attend, with authorities raising the terror alert in the area and preparing to deploy thousands of police to the capital.
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung warned at a cabinet meeting this week that “the issue is safety” and urged heightened vigilance by the interior ministry and emergency services to prepare for every possibility. He described the concert as an important occasion to reaffirm the country’s global cultural standing.
On Wednesday, authorities raised the terror alert one step to the second-lowest level on a four-step scale for parts of the capital, which will be in place until midnight on Saturday.
Police have noted that the possibility of an attack could not be ruled out given the worsening international situation, including the Middle East crisis. The US embassy is located about 160 metres from the stage.
