Creation of Halal Food Cultural Street in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu

110 Billion Won Invested, Sidewalk Expansion and Facility Maintenance in Usadan-ro Area by October... Itaewon Tourism Specialty Street and Gyeongridan-gil Renovation, Hannam-dong Cafe Street Development Concurrently

Islamic Central Mosque

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] A unique cultural street is being created in Itaewon, the "halal food mecca" (halal refers to products permitted for Muslims to eat and use according to Islamic law).

Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) has decided to carry out the Itaewon Halal Food Cultural Street (Usadan-ro, Usadan-ro 10-gil) development project by October.

This is to revitalize the local economy, which has been stagnant due to COVID-19.

The construction section is 500 meters from Yongsan-gu Itaewon-ro 196 (Itaewon 119 Safety Center) near the Islamic Central Mosque (Usadan-ro 10-gil 39) to Hannam-dong 732-19 (Jangmi Apartment).

The construction details include sidewalk paving (1,058㎡), roadway maintenance (36a), gutter installation (384m), rainwater drain reinstallation (34 locations), streetlight upgrades (10 locations), security light upgrades (40 locations), and old sewer pipe improvements (34m). The sidewalks on both sides of Usadan-ro will be expanded from the existing 2m to 2.5m. A one-sided sidewalk 1.2m to 2m wide will be newly installed on Usadan-ro 10-gil.

Additionally, the children's protection zone pavement and crosswalk near Bogwang Elementary School will be renovated, and various traffic facilities will be newly installed. On the 28th, a traffic regulation review will be conducted with the Yongsan Police Station.

The project budget is 1.1 billion KRW.

A district official said, "We will widen the narrow sidewalks and improve the old street environment to provide comfort to tourists from around the world seeking halal food."

The Islamic Central Mosque, the headquarters of Islam in Korea, was built in 1976. A Muslim community has formed nearby, with about 50 halal restaurants and grocery stores. Muslim tourists often visit Itaewon for meals during their trip to Seoul because they cannot eat just anywhere according to Islamic law.

It is also known that many domestic visitors seeking exotic and healthy flavors visit the area.

In 2017, the district conducted a full survey of halal restaurants in the area and created halal maps in two versions: Korean-English and English-Arabic. The maps include store photos, addresses, and phone numbers, allowing a quick overview of halal restaurant status. The back of the map introduces attractions such as the National Museum of Korea, linking local tourism.

Seong Jang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, "The district is doing its best to revitalize the local commercial district, which has been struggling due to COVID-19," and added, "The halal food cultural street will provide convenience not only to Muslim tourists but also to domestic tourists seeking new experiences."

Usadan-ro near the Central Islamic Center

In addition to the halal food cultural street, the district is also carrying out ▲ Itaewon tourism specialized streets [World Food Street (Itaewon-ro 27ga-gil), Vietnam Quy Nhon Street (Bogwang-ro 59-gil)] redevelopment ▲ the "Gyeongridan-gil" (Hoenamu-ro) project to make it a place visitors want to return to ▲ and the Hannam-dong cafe street (Itaewon-ro 54-gil) project linked with the Yongsan Craft Center.