Kakao Map is partnering with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to enhance citizen mobility and safety ahead of BTS's comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square.
Kakao Map, the company's location-based lifestyle platform, announced it will provide high-precision bus location data for approximately 420 Seoul city bus routes for one week starting June 16. The Seoul high-precision bus service will operate as a pilot program, covering major city bus routes excluding airport and village buses.
The pilot was launched in anticipation of massive crowds expected at "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG" at Gwanghwamun Square on June 21, aiming to help citizens use public transportation safely. Kakao Map and the Seoul Transportation Office's Future Advanced Transportation Division have been building a high-precision bus data production and verification system for approximately two years, with discussions underway for official implementation in the second half of this year.
The pilot features shortened data transmission intervals, enabling more accurate tracking of actual vehicle routes. Users can check precise bus locations even when arrival times fluctuate frequently due to long dispatch intervals, traffic congestion, road controls, or detours, significantly improving convenience and helping identify alternative routes.
On the concert day, various safety guidance will be provided. Users can check road control sections, congested areas, temporary restrooms, and on-site medical stations near the venue through Kakao Map. If subway trains skip stations, relevant information will be available on station detail pages. Bus stop pages and public transit navigation services will also display detour and non-stop information, enabling more convenient route planning.
"Seoul is enhancing citizen safety and mobility through real-time data-based transportation information," said Yeo Jang-kwon, Director of Seoul's Transportation Office. "On the day of the Gwanghwamun concert, we plan to minimize citizen inconvenience by promptly providing accurate bus locations and traffic conditions."
"We will work closely with Seoul to ensure thorough transportation information provision and prepare meticulously so citizens can travel more safely and conveniently," said Lee Chang-min, Leader of Kakao's Map Business Development Team. "Through this pilot, we plan to verify the effectiveness of high-precision transportation data and continue advancing urban transportation information services."
