Throngs of people celebrate the New Year at a countdown event on the final night of 2019 at the Boshingak Belfry in central Seoul. (Photo: Yonhap News)
An annual bell-tolling ceremony held in central Seoul on New Year's Eve has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday announced the festivities traditionally held at the Bosingak Belfry in the Jongno District will not open this year as part of measures to keep residents safe.
The ceremony, which usually attracts tens of thousands of people, will instead be pre-recorded and shown online.
This is the first time in 67 years the event has been called off.
In order to prevent people from gathering in the Gwanghwamun area to celebrate the New Year, the city government said it will come up with special response measures and implement restrictions as needed.
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