[Seoul's Future] Jin Heeseon "We Must Consider the Future of Yongsan and Gwanghwamun... Addressing Gangnam Imbalance Is Also Necessary"

Jin Heeseon, Specially Appointed Professor, Department of Urban Engineering, Yonsei University

Gwanghwamun Becomes the Axis of History
Seoul's New Center Shifts to Yongsan
Before That, Resolve the 'Gangnam Black Hole'

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Seoyul] Professor Jin Heeseon, a special professor in the Department of Urban Engineering at Yonsei University, worked for the Seoul Metropolitan Government for 32 years until retiring as the Deputy Mayor for Administration in 2020. During her tenure, she served as Director of the Housing Construction Bureau and Head of the Urban Regeneration Headquarters, personally experiencing the policy-making processes encompassing the entire city of Seoul, including New Town projects, housing supply, and urban planning and management. Based on this experience, she authored books on Seoul’s urban spaces such as "Spaces Coveted by Power: Cheongwadae, Gwanghwamun, Yongsan" and "Black Hole Gangnam, Apartment Nation." Professor Jin readily accepted the proposal to discuss the future of Seoul.

On the morning of the 28th, near Cheongdam-dong, Professor Jin focused on the futures of Gwanghwamun, Yongsan, and Gangnam. She stated that with the presidential office moving to Yongsan, Gwanghwamun will become an axis of a thousand years of history, and Yongsan, which had seen sluggish development, must be reborn as the central space of Seoul. To resolve the ‘Gangnam Black Hole’ phenomenon causing imbalance beyond Seoul into the metropolitan area, she emphasized the need to expand metropolitan infrastructure and create opportunities for economic cooperation between the South and North in areas south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The following is a Q&A with Professor Jin.

- One of the biggest changes in Seoul this year was the relocation of the presidential office from Cheongwadae to Yongsan. How do you think this change will affect Yongsan and the Gwanghwamun area?

▲ With the presidential office moving to Yongsan, Gwanghwamun will see the revival and stirring of our thousand-year history like a dragon, and Yongsan will become a dragon itself, true to its name. I believe these two dragons will stir and bring about new development. It is regrettable that the relocation is currently causing too much conflict based on political factions. Urban architects and historians should engage in discourse about the Yongsan office move and provide a path forward, but that is not happening now.

- Specifically, how will Gwanghwamun transform?

▲ Gwanghwamun will emphasize its role as a historical axis. I realized this during the Gwanghwamun Plaza project. Currently, Cheongwadae is somewhat ambiguously open, but if the axis is fully opened from Cheongwadae through Bugaksan Mountain to Baegakmaru Ridge, it would stretch about 2 km. If this is developed as a historical and cultural axis, it will become a must-visit landmark not only for Seoul citizens but also for all domestic and international tourists visiting Seoul. If it becomes a space for reflecting on and contemplating a thousand years of history, the Gwanghwamun area can be designed as an excellent space.

On May 26, the interior of the Blue House main building in Jongno-gu, Seoul was revealed. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

- How can the former Cheongwadae be utilized now that the presidential office has moved?

▲ Since Cheongwadae was once used as the rear garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace, I hope it will be fully opened to the public. However, I would like the main building to be used as a presidential museum. Currently, museums for each president are scattered, but it would be good to document the achievements of all presidents starting from the founding of the nation in 1919. The guesthouse could be converted into a space for forums and events for citizens and experts. The remaining small buildings could be preserved as rest areas, and walking paths could be created. If only a few symbolic barbed wire fences remain on the back mountain of Cheongwadae and the rest is cleared and fully opened, it would have a tremendous effect by opening up the entire front of Bugaksan Mountain. This could be seen as a paradigm shift in a thousand-year-old space, and a master plan should be developed comprehensively and created together with citizens.

- Then, how do you see the future of Yongsan unfolding?

▲ Yongsan will be highlighted as the central space of Seoul. Although Gwanghwamun served as Seoul’s center for 500 years, if you look at the map, Yongsan is actually the center of Seoul. The main reason Yongsan has not been developed until today is because foreign troops, from the Qing Dynasty to the current U.S. military, have been stationed there for 140 years. However, now that the U.S. military base has been returned and the presidential office has moved there, attention inevitably focuses on Yongsan.

The Presidential Office building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on August 16, one day before President Yoon Suk-yeol's 100th day in office / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

- We cannot avoid discussing development in Yongsan, such as the New Town project and Yongsan Park creation.

▲ If the Hannam New Town development is realized, Yongsan will have an international business district, Yongsan Park, and top-tier residential areas. When asking foreigners what their biggest difficulty living in Korea is, they often mention housing. Korea lacks diverse housing types beyond apartments, and high-end detached housing areas are limited to a few places like Hannam-dong and Seongbuk-dong. However, if development proceeds, areas like Bogwang-dong could also become upscale residential districts. Moreover, combining the areas of Yongsan Park and Namsan Mountain amounts to about 6 million square meters, making Yongsan a city with some of the largest green spaces and parks among world cities.

- You mentioned Gwanghwamun and Yongsan as the future axes of Gangbuk (northern Seoul). How do you see the future of Gangnam (southern Seoul)?

▲ The ‘Gangnam Black Hole’ phenomenon, which absorbs everything, will continue. The role of rulers and power holders, including the Seoul Metropolitan Government, was significant in causing this phenomenon. Also, since Gangnam was born as a product of the Cold War, Seoul will likely remain Gangnam-centered as long as the Cold War does not fully end.

Former Seoul Deputy Mayor for Administration Jin Hee-seon, a special professor in the Department of Urban Engineering at Yonsei University, is walking through the back alleys of downtown Gangnam, Seoul. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

- Is there any way to resolve the ‘Gangnam Black Hole’ phenomenon?

▲ In my view, the most necessary element for regional balanced development is metropolitan infrastructure. Past Seoul mayors have pledged to resolve the imbalance between Gangnam and Gangbuk. Former President Lee Myung-bak, as mayor, promoted the Cheonggyecheon restoration and New Town projects, and former Mayor Park Won-soon proposed urban regeneration as a solution. However, the imbalance remains unresolved. Dense subway lines and new highways in Gangnam must extend across the Han River. The Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX) is said to extend to Gangbuk, but initially, it was limited to Gangnam. Extensions like GTX and the Shinbundang Line should be brought to Yongsan and extended to Goyang City, but cost-benefit analyses show economic infeasibility, making progress difficult.

Another cause of imbalance is the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). After the Korean War, South Korea, under anti-communist ideology, continuously excluded North Korea to strengthen regimes. Under the banner of national security, development began focusing on Gangnam as the political, economic, and cultural axis in preparation for war. To resolve the Cold War-induced imbalance, I have considered attracting companies to areas south of the DMZ and employing North Korean workers. Currently, this is impossible due to military restrictions, but if such a system were established, South and North Korea could economically support each other, eliminating the need for conflict. For this, the government should provide land free of charge and offer tax incentives to companies. Bold measures to attract foreign investors and overseas companies, such as from China, are also necessary. At the same time, metropolitan infrastructure must be boldly extended to areas near the DMZ.