Seoul’s Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival has been postponed due to safety concerns surrounding the Constitutional Court’s upcoming ruling on suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment. The festival will now start from April 8 to 12 instead of its initial date.
Four out of five Joseon-era palaces, including Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, as well as several state-run museums, have announced closures due to anticipated protests near the court. These institutions include the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea.
The Constitutional Court’s ruling is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday and will be broadcast live from the court. Police are taking measures to seal off the area around the court tightly, including expanding the initial barricade radius to 300 meters. The Seoul authorities have also canceled various cultural events in the area due to safety concerns.
The decision prioritizes visitor safety and convenience, as well as preventing crowd crushes. A portion of the festival program will be reduced in scale, and some museums are already on a break or closing for the day. The revised festival period aims to minimize disruptions to visitors while ensuring public safety.
Source: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10456382