Bukaksan Behind Cheongwadae Fully Opens After 54 Years... Jongno-gu Creates 'Easy Walking Path'

[Seoul District News] Jongno-gu Focuses on Creating 'Walkable Paths' by Installing Wooden Decks and Coir Mats Related to 'Full Opening of Bukaksan'... Jung-gu Dasan Fortress Library Selected for Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 'Specialized Library Development Support Project'
Songpa-gu Evaluates Major Accident Hazard and Risk Factors at 206 Current Workplaces

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Bukaksan, which had been partially opened to the public with restrictions since the 1968 North Korean army’s Blue House raid attempt known as the ‘Kim Shin-jo Incident,’ was finally fully opened to the public on April 6, 2022, after 54 years.

The ‘full opening of Bukaksan’ was a project pledged by President Moon Jae-in during his 2017 presidential campaign. Accordingly, Jongno-gu has been focusing on collaborating with the Presidential Security Service, Cultural Heritage Administration, Capital Defense Command, and others to promote the rich historical and cultural resources of Bukaksan to more citizens.

With the addition of the southern side of Bukaksan, all areas have been fully returned to the citizens, and it is expected that the urban green space for not only Jongno residents but also Seoul citizens will noticeably increase. The area opened in Bukaksan is 1.1 million square meters, equivalent to 4.7 times the size of Yeouido Park, and the length of the trails within this area reaches an impressive 4.8 kilometers.

Previously, during the first phase of opening, Jongno-gu transformed the existing military patrol roads into nature-friendly paths that are easy to walk for people of all ages. For this second phase of opening, wooden decks and coconut fiber mats were installed in parallel, and stone stairs using nearby natural stones were also completed.

In addition, in cooperation with related ministries, new entrances were established at Cheongundae Rest Area connecting the southern Bukaksan trails and fortress walls, as well as at Sukjeongmun and Samcheong Park to enhance citizen convenience. Three major resting points (Chotdaebawi Rest Area, Cheongundae Observatory, Valley Rest Area), Samcheong Visitor Center, and restrooms were created. Thoughtful consideration was also evident in creating a detour path to preserve the Beopheungsa Temple site based on the maintenance of natural stones around Manse-dongbang.

Furthermore, a wildfire prevention system was established to ensure visitor safety and forest resource conservation. Considering the importance of this area, an AI-based cutting-edge system was introduced, fully preparing for enhanced surveillance capabilities.

The opening of Bukaksan also marks the realization of a long-held wish of mountaineers, as the Hanbuk Jeongmaek mountain range, which extends southward from the Baekdudaegan ridge at Chugaryeong to the Han River and Imjin River, is now fully connected.

The section starting from Ansan in Seodaemun-gu, passing through Inwangsan, Bukaksan, and Bukhansan, can now be traversed continuously without interruption. This connection of commercial areas between Buam-dong and Samcheong-dong is expected by Jongno-gu to revitalize the local economy, which had been stagnant due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

An official from the district stated, “Since the northern side opening in 2020, as many as 300,000 citizens have visited Bukaksan. We hope that the full opening will develop Bukaksan’s hiking courses into major tourist products embodying the essence of the historic and cultural city of Jongno.” He added, “We plan to resume the ‘Hanyangdoseong Stamp Tour,’ which helps citizens understand and widely promote the value of cultural heritage while preserving the beautiful natural environment of this area, as well as operate the ‘Bukaksan Trail Exploration Program’ and ‘Walking Competitions.’”

Dasan Fortress Library in Jung-gu (District Mayor Seo Yang-ho) has been finally selected for the ‘2022 Specialized Library Development Support Project’ hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korean Library Association.

The ‘Specialized Library Development Support Project’ selects and supports public libraries that efficiently operate specialized programs reflecting regional characteristics and the needs of local residents. This year, a total of 10 libraries nationwide were selected.

Dasan Fortress Library plans to operate three specialized programs starting in May: ▲ ‘Book Picnic,’ an outdoor reading program in nature at Dasan Fortress (May to October), ▲ Monthly cultural performances in outdoor reading spaces titled ‘Noisy Library’ (May to October), and ▲ ‘Workshop for Creating Outdoor Libraries in Nature’ with residents (September to October).

For detailed information about the programs, please check the Jung-gu Public Library website or contact the Dasan Fortress Library of the Jung-gu Cultural Foundation.

Opened in May last year, Dasan Fortress Library is a nature-friendly library located at the end of the fortress trail section of the Hanyangdoseong (Seoul City Wall) from Jangchung Gymnasium to Dasan Octagonal Pavilion on Namsan. Its design and interior preserve the surrounding natural scenery, creating an illusion of reading books in a forest even indoors.

The library, remodeled from the ground level of Dasan Art Public Parking Lot into a three-story building, covers a total area of 976 square meters including outdoor spaces. Upon entering the library, a grand circular bookshelf and an indoor garden harmoniously arranged with various plants such as table palms and monstera greet visitors. Outdoors, a performance hall, outdoor reading rest areas, and shared vegetable gardens provide residents with spaces for relaxation and culture.

An official from the library said, “From the planning stage, we continuously gathered opinions from local residents to reflect them as much as possible even in small spaces,” adding, “Librarians also participated directly in the design process.”

Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa District, visited the construction site of the newly established road in Jangji-dong on January 24th to conduct a safety inspection ahead of the enforcement of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Park Seong-su) will conduct a regular risk assessment of workplaces to prevent major accidents from April 1 to 8.

This risk assessment is conducted to improve hazardous and dangerous factors that are major causes of serious industrial accidents in accordance with the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which came into effect on January 27, aiming to create a safe working environment and prevent accidents.

The assessment will be conducted at all 206 workplaces engaged in on-site work within the district. For subcontracted, commissioned, or consigned projects, the risk assessment will be carried out by the subcontractors.

Prior to the risk assessment, the district held an ‘Industrial Safety and Health Committee’ meeting on March 29 to review and decide on overall matters related to workplace safety and health, including the establishment of industrial accident prevention plans and the enactment of safety and health management regulations, thereby strengthening the institutional foundation for creating a safe city free from serious accidents.

On February 22, education related to serious accident prevention was provided to 195 supervisors and risk assessment personnel from on-site work management departments, and on March 30, ‘Industrial Health Physician Consultations’ for worker health management were conducted, among various efforts to prevent serious industrial accidents.

District Mayor Park Seong-su said, “We will conduct systematic and meticulous risk assessments to thoroughly protect the safety of on-site workers,” adding, “We will continue comprehensive efforts to prevent serious accidents and make Songpa an even better place to live.”