Seoul traffic alert: Labour rallies and marathons to snarl central Seoul this weekend
Synopsis
Seoul faces a double hit this weekend: two major labour union rallies and two government-backed marathons will shut key roads in central Seoul and Yeouido on 8–9 November. The disruptions come days after Mayor Oh Se-hoon pledged to overhaul the city's race calendar from scratch, flagging an explosion in central-government-backed marathons — from one in 2025 to 23 this year — that the city has little power to block.
Key Takeaways
KCTU will hold a labour rally in central Seoul from 1 pm on Saturday, 8 November 2026 , marching between Sungnyemun and Taepyeong intersections.
The 'Save Race Marathon' (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) will restrict traffic on the Han River bridge from 7:50 am to 9:15 am Saturday .
The FKTU is scheduled to rally in Yeouido from 2 pm Saturday , adding a second disruption wave.
The 2026 Liberty and Democracy Marathon will close roads near Seoul Plaza and Heunginjimun from 7:30 am to 8:35 am Sunday .
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon pledged on 2 November to review next year's race schedule 'from scratch,' noting central-government-backed events jumped from 1 in 2025 to 23 in 2026 .
Central Seoul is bracing for significant traffic disruptions this weekend as labour union rallies and marathon events converge on key city arteries on both Saturday, 8 November and Sunday, 9 November 2026, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Saturday's Disruptions
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of South Korea's two major umbrella labour bodies, is scheduled to hold a preliminary rally near the Seoul Regional Employment and Labour Office in downtown Seoul at 1 pm. Members will then march through central Seoul before converging for a main rally on the road between Sungnyemun Intersection and Taepyeong Intersection. The procession is expected to return to the labour office from 4 pm.
Earlier on Saturday morning, the 'Save Race Marathon', sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will begin at 8 am in the Yeouido area. The course starts at Yeouido Park, crosses the Sogang Grand Bridge, and reaches a turnaround point at the Gwangheungchang Station intersection. Vehicle traffic on the Han River bridge will be restricted from 7:50 am to 9:15 am.
Yeouido is set to face a second wave of congestion from 2 pm, when the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) — the other major national labour body — is scheduled to hold its own rally in the area.
Sunday's Marathon Closures
On Sunday, the 2026 Liberty and Democracy Marathon, sponsored by the Seoul metropolitan government, is scheduled to begin at 7:30 am at Seoul Plaza. The route passes through the historic Heunginjimun gate and Euljiro before returning to the starting point. Police confirmed that the road between the Sejongdaero intersection and the Heunginjimun intersection will be completely closed to vehicle traffic from 7:30 am to 8:35 am.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon's Pledge to Overhaul Races
The weekend's disruptions arrive just days after Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon publicly addressed the city's growing race-congestion problem. On 2 November, Oh announced that all marathon events scheduled for next year in Seoul would be reviewed from 'scratch,' following widespread public complaints over road closures.
'Ultimately, we were not able to prevent large-scale inconveniences,' Oh wrote on Facebook. 'We will revisit the route and schedule for next year's events from scratch.'
Oh noted that the city government had already cut its directly sponsored marathons to seven this year from 15 last year. However, races backed by the central government jumped to 23 this year from just one in 2025 — a surge that the city has limited authority to control, since running events do not currently require city approval.
A Running Boom With a Traffic Cost
A nationwide running boom in recent years has turned Seoul into a weekend hotspot for road races, but the resulting frequency of restrictions has stoked growing public frustration. Mayor Oh said the city would work with the central government, police, and event organisers to minimise future inconveniences. How that coordination unfolds ahead of the 2027 event calendar will be closely watched.
Point of View
Not incidental. The city slashed its own sponsored marathons from 15 to 7, yet central-government-backed races exploded from one to 23 in a single year — and the city has no approval authority over them. Mayor Oh's 'scratch' pledge is politically credible but institutionally weak unless the Centre agrees to coordinate. The real test is whether this weekend's backlash generates enough pressure for a formal inter-agency framework before the 2027 calendar is locked.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why will there be traffic disruptions in Seoul this weekend?
Traffic disruptions in Seoul on 8–9 November 2026 are expected due to two major labour union rallies — by the KCTU and the FKTU — and two government-backed marathons running through central Seoul and the Yeouido area. Police have announced road closures and restrictions on key bridges and intersections.
What roads will be closed in Seoul on Saturday, 8 November?
The Han River bridge will be restricted to vehicle traffic from 7:50 am to 9:15 am due to the Save Race Marathon. Later in the day, roads between Sungnyemun Intersection and Taepyeong Intersection will be affected by the KCTU march, and the Yeouido area will face renewed congestion from 2 pm during the FKTU rally.
What is the 2026 Liberty and Democracy Marathon?
The 2026 Liberty and Democracy Marathon is a Sunday-morning race sponsored by the Seoul metropolitan government. It starts at Seoul Plaza at 7:30 am, passes through the Heunginjimun gate and Euljiro, and returns to the starting point. The road between Sejongdaero intersection and Heunginjimun intersection will be fully closed to vehicles from 7:30 am to 8:35 am.
What has Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said about the marathon disruptions?
Mayor Oh Se-hoon said on 2 November 2026 that marathon races scheduled for next year will be reviewed 'from scratch,' acknowledging that the city failed to prevent large-scale inconveniences. He noted the city cut its own sponsored races from 15 to 7, but central-government-backed events surged from one in 2025 to 23 in 2026, which fall outside city approval requirements.
Who are the KCTU and FKTU?
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) are South Korea's two largest national umbrella labour organisations. Both are holding separate rallies in Seoul on Saturday, 8 November 2026, contributing to expected traffic congestion in the downtown and Yeouido areas.
