A participant runs as a vehicle makes a U-turn in front of him at a marathon event on April 28 in Gijang-eup, Busan. Courtesy of Lee Young-ha

Marathons have been gaining popularity in Korea, with 354 races held last year. Their appeal stems from the accessibility of running as a sport, which requires little equipment.

However, some organizers are exploiting this popularity for profit, often compromising safety in the process. The lack of strict regulations allows such events to operate unchecked, raising concerns about participant safety.

On April 21, runners at the 21st Busan Marathon in Daejeo-dong voiced their frustrations. The event's website received complaints about vehicles suddenly entering the race route, causing runners to scatter.

"It's a miracle that a major accident didn't happen," read one comment. Kim Song-yi, 33, who ran the 10-kilometer course, said, "Cars blocked the course right after we started, causing confusion among the runners."

The chaos prompted police intervention despite no request from the organizers. A Busan police official stated, "The risk of accidents was so high that we had to step in and manage traffic."

Participants point to vehicles driving on the street during a marathon event in Busan on April 28. Courtesy of Lee Young-ha

In addition to traffic control failures, participants reported inaccurate timing records, lack of course guidance, and the absence of promised refreshments and souvenirs. Participants plan to file a fraud complaint against the Busan Athletics Federation, the event organizer, and have filed a report with the National Tax Service for failing to issue receipts.

The association is a private organization not sanctioned by the Korea Association of Athletics Federations. Many participants mistook the marathon for an official city event due to its name.

The 6th Gijang Bada Marathon, held in Gijang County, Busan, on April 28, also faced traffic control issues. Vehicles entered the marathon route, with one runner, Lee Young-ha, 38, stating, "Cars made U-turns dangerously close to the runners, and at times we had to stop at crosswalks due to traffic." He added, "If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have participated." Other issues included poor course guidance and inadequate water and snacks.

The 13th Yangcheon Marathon, held in Yangcheon District, Seoul, on April 27, suffered similar problems. Participants took to social media to complain about safety concerns, noting near-collisions with bicycles sharing the narrow paths. A district official explained, "We deployed safety personnel, but the high number of visitors to the park led to these incidents."

Participants run in the 2024 Seoul Half Marathon at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, Seoul, April 28. Yonhap

After the 2024 Yeongju Marathon on April 7, in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, complaints were filed on the official website about discrepancies between the full-course distance and GPS readings and a lack of refreshments at the finish line. The organizers promised to investigate issues related to individual timing.

The risks are not hypothetical: in July 2020, three runners in an ultra-marathon in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, died after being struck by a drunk driver.

Despite 55 runners participating, the event organizers had not stationed a single safety official along the course.

As marathons continue to flourish in Korea, the need for better regulation and safety standards has become an urgent matter of critical importance. Addressing these challenges will ensure that runners can focus on the joy of running, rather than fearing for their safety.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.