Gangbuk-gu Uiryeong Forest Culture Village Road Improvement Passes the Final Hurdle

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il]

Uiryeong is a historic path that has hidden the painful ordeals of modern and contemporary history since the Joseon Dynasty and was only partially opened recently... The long-awaited project for the Uidong Forest Culture Village breaks ground

Considering natural scenery and historic value while ensuring zero environmental damage... A second phase project will start this year to fill in the gaps, expected to establish a new Uiryeong attraction

Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Soon-hee) announced that the road environment improvement project, a long-awaited project for the Uiryeong Forest Culture Village aimed at improving safety and accessibility for hikers and trail visitors in Bukhansan National Park’s Uiryeong, which has become a resting place for citizens, has passed the 80% completion mark.

Uiryeong, a historic path hiding the painful ordeals of modern and contemporary history since the Joseon Dynasty, only partially opened recently

The Uiryeong Trail is a 6.8 km old path connecting Uidong in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, and Gyohyeon-ri in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. It was an important shortcut linking Cheollyeong north of the Joseon Dynasty and Hanyang for hundreds of years.

The Uiryeong Trail came to the forefront starting from the Korean War. The narrow path, which was just a small trail, was expanded into a transport road by the U.S. military engineering unit during the Korean War.

Later, on January 21, 1968, due to security measures following the infiltration incident by armed spy Kim Shin-jo and his group, the Uiryeong Trail was completely closed. After a historical break and long separation, it was reopened on July 10, 2009, after 41 years.

The long-awaited project for the Uidong Forest Culture Village breaks ground

However, the access road to the Uiryeong Forest Culture Village was narrow, causing chronic traffic congestion during peak vacation seasons, which not only caused great inconvenience to citizens using Uiryeong but also led to environmental and parking problems.

To solve these issues, Gangbuk-gu has consistently proposed the Uiryeong Forest Culture Village road environment improvement project to Seoul City since 2016, and after more than six years, the project broke ground on December 3, 2021.

Considering natural scenery and historic value, ensuring zero environmental damage

To find a way to preserve the well-maintained natural ecosystem of Bukhansan National Park and the old atmosphere without damage, dozens of experts in roads, space, and environment, including Oh Seong-hoon, senior researcher at the Architectural Space Research Institute (a government-funded research institute), and Professor Mo Mugi from Seokyeong University, a transportation expert, as well as construction technical advisory committee members, collaborated intensively.

With the active cooperation and participation of local residents, nearby merchants, and visitors, the first phase of the road environment improvement project was completed safely and without accidents within the project period.

Additionally, this project is expected to enhance the image of Uiryeong as a convenient resting place for citizens and significantly contribute to revitalizing the local commercial district.

Second phase project starts this year to fill in the gaps, expected to establish a new Uiryeong attraction

Based on the suggestions from local residents and the originally planned Uiryeong park development, the second phase will begin in 2023. First, a 100-meter section of the winding road near the old Young Zelkova Tree Restaurant, which was exposed to safety risks, will be expanded from 6m to 7m with a secured budget of 500 million KRW to ensure safe passage for citizens.

Second, to secure safe pedestrian rights, stencil techniques and others will be used to prevent interference from vehicles for citizens hiking and exploring.

Third, the long-awaited project for the Uiryeong Forest Culture Village, linked with the Uiryeong Park construction starting in 2024, will continue, expected to establish a new Uiryeong attraction.

Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, stated, “In 2023, the first year of the 8th elected term, we will boldly improve inconvenient and unsafe areas in the Uiryeong Forest Culture Village, not only revitalizing the local economy but also making Uiryeong Trail a destination where Seoul citizens want to visit, creating a Gangbuk-gu that empowers lives.”