[Seoul's Future] Solutions Spanning Time and Space Emerge from Cheong and Seochon (Comprehensive)

At the ‘2022 Seoul Future Forum’ held on the 16th by Asia Economy to mark six months since the opening of Cheongwadae, under the theme ‘The Future of Seoul, The Future of Seochon,’ solutions for the future of Seoul encompassing the space of Cheongwadae and its surroundings, Seochon and Bukchon, and the historic city center were poured out. At the forum held on the 19th floor of the Press Center in Jung-gu, experts from various fields engaged in heated discussions on why Seochon should be the starting point for the grand design to envision Seoul’s future and how to draw the future of Seochon.

Formation of Traditional Cultural Belt Connecting Seochon, Bukchon, and Dongchon Previously Blocked by Cheongwadae

Woobyeonghyun, CEO of Asia Economy, emphasized in his opening remarks, "The opening of Cheongwadae is an opportunity to attempt a grand design that can jointly plan future Seoul centered on the old Seoul surrounded by the Hanyangdoseong Fortress and the Yongsan Presidential Office." He added, "After attending the World Newspaper Association General Assembly and visiting major cities in Spain, I realized upon returning to Seoul that Seoul’s charm is comparable to any city in Spain," and said, "The charm of a city depends not on its size or fame but on its uniqueness and the stories it holds." Woobyeonghyun stated, "No city in the world has a tourist course as large as the Hanyangdoseong Fortress, and walking along the fortress and descending to the paths inside and outside the walls, one can visit palaces such as Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Deoksugung. In the alleys of palace villages represented by Bukchon and Seochon, one can quietly enjoy eating and drinking," and added, "We will hold an annual forum themed on Seoul’s future to provide a small platform for systematically designing a future Seoul where the old and new harmonize, history and industry coexist, and life and welfare integrate."

On the 16th, Woo Byung-hyun, CEO of Asia Economy (from the left), Choi Jae-hyung, member of the National Assembly from the People Power Party (Jongno), and Kim Hyun-ki, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, attended the '2022 Seoul Future Forum' held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Choi Jaehyung, a member of the People Power Party (Jongno), said in his congratulatory speech, "On May 10th, Cheongwadae returned to the people after 74 years, which does not merely mean the relocation of the president’s office and residence," and added, "Cheongwadae will become a landmark representing South Korea and a space where entire families can relax and feel the historical site." He continued, "Seochon is the place where the lives of Seoul citizens are best reflected, and Seoul’s changes will be centered around Seochon," and said, "Jongno’s Seochon, Bukchon, and Dongchon, which were blocked by Cheongwadae, will be connected, forming a large traditional cultural belt."

Kim Hyunki, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, said, "Many foreign tourists visit Seochon to glimpse Seoul’s urban history," and added, "The Seoul Metropolitan Council will also spare no continuous interest and support to make Seochon a space that everyone empathizes with and enjoys." He especially noted, "Seoul has a department responsible for hanok (traditional Korean houses)," and said, "Seoul City and the Seoul Metropolitan Council will provide full support through budgets." Referring to poet Yun Dongju, who lived in Seochon and wrote ‘Seosi,’ Kim said, "Seochon is a romantic place many citizens want to visit. Recently, interest in Seochon has grown further due to the relocation of Cheongwadae," and added, "I hope a sustainable future vision for Seochon will continue to be drawn."

Must Develop into a Brand Neighborhood for Working, Living, and Playing

Professor Mo Jongrin of Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, known as the ‘Alleyway Economist,’ delivered the keynote speech titled ‘Why Find Seoul’s Future in Seochon,’ emphasizing that for Seoul to rise as a ‘city with strong neighborhoods,’ Seochon must be developed into a brand neighborhood that encompasses ‘Jik (working), Ju (living), and Rak (playing).’ Professor Mo said, "After COVID-19, the 15-minute city and ‘Jik-Ju-Rak Centers’ have become important. A representative successful case is ‘Mayongseong (Mapo, Yongsan, Seongdong districts),’ and Jung-gu and Jongno-gu can also become the ‘Next Mayongseong.’" He stressed, "To become a Jik-Ju-Rak Center, commercial districts must be filled and the resident population increased." With the presidential office moving to Yongsan and Cheongwadae opening, Seochon has reached a major turning point, but Jung-gu and Jongno-gu adjacent to Seochon are still strongly perceived as business and cultural/historical districts. Professor Mo proposed that by connecting with surrounding areas, alleyway commercial districts should be developed and low- and mid-rise residential areas increased to create a ‘Jik-Ju-Rak Center.’ He said, "You cannot find the future by looking at Seochon alone," and added, "A ‘Seochon-Myeongdong-centered Jik-Ju-Rak Center’ linked with Gwanghwamun, Myeongdong, and Yongsan areas should be established." A Jik-Ju-Rak Center refers to an area where people work, enjoy, and live nearby. Through a Jik-Ju-Rak Center connected to the three areas, it is a way to revitalize Seochon by going beyond the fusion of modern and postmodern.

Professor Mo Jong-rin of Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies attended the '2022 Seoul Future Forum' held on the 16th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and delivered a keynote speech on the topic "The Future of Seoul, Why We Should Look to Seochon." Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

He said, "Commercial facilities should be introduced along the park path connecting Bukchon and Seochon, and a road passing through Gyeongbokgung Palace is also necessary to connect Seochon and Bukchon," and added, "Improving the pedestrian environment is essential for integrating Bukchon and Seochon, and we must go beyond Seochon and Gwanghwamun to Myeongdong together."

Improving the pedestrian environment and accessibility centered on the main roads connecting the areas and zoning Seochon’s commercial districts by distinguishing key facilities such as Sejong Food Alley, Tongin Market, and Park Nosu Art Museum are also necessary. Professor Mo said, "It is necessary to cultivate brand commercial districts that highlight Seochon’s characteristics and local creators," and added, "Revitalizing the commercial district around Baehwa Women’s University should also accompany this." In the ‘Jik-Ju-Rak Center,’ ‘residence’ should be addressed through small-scale housing maintenance projects that preserve the culture of existing roads and alleys. This is a way to maintain Seochon’s unique identity while also addressing housing supply. Instead of large apartment complexes that erase the city’s character, mid- to low-rise mixed-use residential and commercial buildings should be supplied. Representative examples include Hwang Doojin’s ‘Rainbow Rice Cake Architecture’ and Kim Sunghong’s ‘Street Corner Architecture.’ The ‘Moatown’ housing maintenance project promoted by Seoul City is also spreading the model of low-rise residential urban regeneration. Professor Mo emphasized, "Utilizing low- and mid-rise residential areas allows for the inclusion of various stores, and as the resident population increases, companies will naturally gather. The world’s best museums and art are flowing into Gwanghwamun, but we only treat it as a ‘cultural district.’ A city where small business owners thrive is the city we want."

No Reckless Development... Calls for Designation of Development Restriction Zones Also Raised

In Session 1, themed ‘Historical Reflection and Grand Design,’ opinions were expressed that while maintaining Seochon’s historical, cultural, and political-geographical uniqueness, development as a place to live and visit should proceed simultaneously. Hwang Pyeongwoo, Director of the Korea Cultural Heritage Policy Research Institute, who gave the keynote presentation, said, "Seochon is a place that can be proudly presented anywhere. The current state where Seochon residents live should be maintained," and argued, "Seochon should be designated as a kind of development restriction zone." He noted, "There may be restrictions on property rights, so institutional support such as indirect cash payments and exemption of children’s education expenses for Seochon residents is necessary," and provocatively suggested, "Those who protect cultural and historical identity should be considered national merit recipients. Road name addresses within Seochon should be abolished." He also said many hanok in Seochon are not well-built compared to traditional Korean standards. "Looking at the characteristics of Seochon hanok, they are not strictly well-built. I think they were built by people who made boats in Mapo during the Japanese colonial period and escaped forced labor," he said. Nevertheless, he added, "Hanok in Seochon are an important trend in hanok housing and a major subject for research."

Hwang Pyeong-woo, Director of the Korea Cultural Heritage Policy Research Institute, is giving a presentation titled "A Historical Review of Seochon" at the "2022 Seoul Future Forum" held on the 16th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

In the discussion following Director Hwang’s presentation, Robert Fauzer, former professor at Seoul National University, said, "Inside Seoul’s Four Great Gates (Sadaemun) are areas of historical significance," and added, "At least within the Four Great Gates, reckless development should not be allowed." He explained, "There are many neighborhoods in Seoul, but in the case of Seochon, many people still live there," and said, "Development projects should be carried out to suit Seochon’s characteristics as a residential area for its residents."

Yoo Nayoung, from PMA Engineering Urban Environment Research Institute, said that to utilize Seochon as a national future asset, detailed information must be ‘database-ized.’ In Vienna, for example, the city map service provides basic urban information along with detailed data such as the construction period, architect, and preservation status of buildings by parcel. Yoo said, "The more work is done to find the value of existing buildings and places, the more it is necessary to integrate and share scattered data so that general citizens and stakeholders can use the places according to their purposes."

Modeled on Philadelphia Independence National Historical Park... Need for Cultural Heritage Designation and University Attraction

Professor Kim Jeong-hyun of Hongik University College of Architecture and Urban Planning is attending the '2022 Seoul Future Forum' held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 16th, giving a presentation on the topic 'How Should the Blue House Space Be Utilized?'. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

In Session 2, which dealt with ‘Policy Status and Policy Tasks,’ a free discussion was held on how to utilize Cheongwadae and its surrounding spaces. Kim Junghyun, professor at Hongik University College of Architecture and Urban Studies, who gave the keynote presentation, said, "There is no disagreement that South Korea is almost the only country that achieved democratization and industrialization simultaneously after experiencing war," and added, "I hope it becomes a space that makes us think of the Republic of Korea." He presented the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, as a model. He explained, "The most visited place for school trips in the US is the Independence National Historical Park. It symbolizes American independence, where independence was declared, the nation was founded, and meetings were held," and said, "They proudly say they were people who longed for freedom and independence and that they were the first country to separate powers through historic buildings." He added, "I thought we also have things to be proud of," and said, "Cheongwadae is a good space equipped with things to be proud of."

Professor Kim also said that while restoring or reviving terrains that were cut off or disappeared during the Japanese colonial period, the spaces from Cheongwadae to Gyeongbokgung Palace should be viewed broadly and used complexly. He particularly noted historical facts through records that until the Joseon Dynasty, the Cheongwadae area and Gyeongbokgung area were connected as one, but during the Japanese colonial period, the construction of the Governor-General’s residence, dormitories, related facilities, and roads caused these two areas to be severed, and there is a need to restore this connection. He said, "Although it is land with history overall, no proper research or investigation has ever been conducted. It is not about 100% restoration, but I think something should be done to commemorate it somehow," and added, "Natural terrains such as waterways that connected to Gyeongbokgung were all cut off. It would be good to make Cheongwadae pedestrian-friendly so that Bukchon and Seochon can be well connected."

In response, Jeong Junmo, former curator at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, proposed, "Cheongwadae should be designated as cultural heritage through complementary restoration where history and today coexist." He explained, "Paris is shaped radially around the Arc de Triomphe," and said, "Seochon can be made a center of visual culture through performing arts, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul branch in Bukchon and Seochon, the Palace Museum, Seonjae Art Museum, and numerous galleries." He added, "Recently, the concept of clusters has changed to encompass production and consumption and to attract not only domestic citizens but also people worldwide as cultural places, city symbols, and to enhance cultural status," and said, "I wonder how Cheongwadae could be utilized with this concept." He continued, "With the presidential office moving, the road in front of Cheongwadae has opened, creating a major flow connecting Bukchon and Seochon," and said, "I hope this opportunity will connect the east-west separated Cheongwadae and Gyeongbokgung."

On the 16th, at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, during the '2022 Seoul Future Forum,' Baek Young-ran, CEO of History Bookstore (moderator, from the left), led a discussion with Kim Jeong-hyun, professor at Hongik University College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Jeong Jun-mo, former head of research at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Jang Min-su, CEO of Seochon Residential Space Research Association, and Kim Yoo-sik, head of the Seoul Hanok Policy Division. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

There was also an opinion that a university should be attracted to Cheongwadae and its annexed spaces. Jang Minsu, representative of the Seochon Residential Space Research Association, said, "Cultural spaces near Cheongwadae in Seochon are already saturated," and added, "Considering history and other factors, it might be good to partially maintain and renovate the current facilities and attract a university, as Cheongwadae’s natural environment and landscaping are well done." He said, "Looking at the aerial view of Cheongwadae, it feels like a university campus, and considering Seochon’s competitiveness, attracting a university should also be considered," and added, "Considering that facilities such as the Cheongwadae security unit and annexed office buildings are all connected, I think it can create new competitiveness."

Measures related to hanok in Seochon by Seoul City were also introduced. Kim Yusik, head of Seoul City’s Hanok Policy Division, said, "There are 660 hanok in Seochon. 78% of hanok are used for residential purposes," and added, "Since 2001, Seoul City has been supporting the costs of repairing and newly constructing hanok. So far, 46.5 billion won has been supported, and not only hardware support but also promotional content development is provided. Seochon has been designated as an urban regeneration activation area, and activation plans will soon be implemented." Kim said, "The project is scheduled to continue until 2025, and the main contents include repair support for hanok and landscape improvement projects, as well as creating roads that can be safely walked on," and added, "Open spaces, rest areas, and parking lot creation are key parts of the living infrastructure development project."