Will Haebangchon Alley Renovation Become Seoul's Version of 'Montmartre'?

Haebangchon Sinheung Market Surrounding Alleyway Regeneration Project Site (Haebangchon Five-way Intersection)

Yongsan-gu Renovates Alleyways Around Haebangchon Sinheung Market

Securing Safe Walking Environment on Major Side Streets and School Routes in Haebangchon... Project Budget of 1.46 Billion KRW, Completion Scheduled for May

Installation of Safety Facilities, Road, Staircase, and Traffic Sign Maintenance, and Landscape Improvement

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yongsan-gu (Mayor Park Hee-young) is pushing forward with the "Renovation of Alleyways Around Haebangchon Sinheung Market," aiming for completion in May.

This is to secure safety on the old pedestrian paths and improve the landscape.

The construction section is 405 meters long, 6 to 8 meters wide, covering an area of 9,905 square meters around Sowol-ro 20-gil. The project budget is 1.46 billion KRW from the Seoul city budget.

Main construction details include installation of safety facilities, maintenance of alleys and stairs, and landscape improvement.

First, safety facilities such as security lights (2 locations) and closed-circuit (CCTV) cameras (3 locations) will be newly installed or replaced.

Alleys and stairs will also be maintained. Plans include asphalt paving (4,060㎡), design paving (884㎡), floor logo installation (4 locations), stair maintenance (3 locations), and handrail installation/replacement (12 meters). Rainwater inlets and cross drains will be maintained, and small flower beds will be created here and there.

Additionally, for landscape improvement, mailboxes will be installed in residential areas (23 locations), and fence painting work will be carried out.

Sowol-ro 20-gil in Yongsan 2-ga-dong was selected as a target site for the city alleyway regeneration project in June 2020. Since then, the district has established a master plan, conducted detailed design services, and gone through the city alleyway regeneration review committee process, starting construction in August last year.

A district official said, "Yongsan 2-ga-dong is a unique space where elderly local residents, young cultural artists, and about 1,300 foreigners from 76 countries live together," adding, "We will beautifully renovate the alleyways to bring vitality to residents and convenience to visitors."

The areas of Yongsan 2-ga-dong, Huam-dong, and Itaewon 2-dong, backed by Namsan Mountain, face aging buildings and poor infrastructure due to high-altitude district regulations. The district plans to continue small-scale maintenance projects to alleviate residents' inconveniences and actively express residents' opinions to Seoul city regarding easing height restrictions in the high-altitude district.

Mapo-gu’s First Win-Win Committee Successfully Establishes ‘Seongsan Neighborhood Park Preservation Project’

Conflict Resolution Through Cooperative Governance via Win-Win Committee Leads to Completion of Seongsan Neighborhood Park Development Project

Active Reflection of Residents’ Voices Through On-Site Mayor’s Office and Win-Win Committee Communication and Cooperation

Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Kang-soo) announced that the ‘Seongsan Neighborhood Park Redevelopment Project,’ which was the first agenda of the Win-Win Committee, was decided through public discussion to shift policy from ‘development’ to ‘preservation’ and was successfully completed through consensus with residents.

In November 2022, to resolve the sharp conflicts that had lasted over two years regarding the ‘Seongsan Neighborhood Park Redevelopment Project,’ the district formed the ‘1st Seongsan Neighborhood Park Redevelopment Win-Win Committee,’ consisting of related officials and local residents and stakeholders, conducting continuous discussions and resident briefings.

As a result, the project agreed to pursue preservation rather than installing barrier-free decks, maintaining the mountain’s natural state (‘a mountain as a mountain’) and implementing safety measures such as landslide prevention for residents.

First, the district conducted a ‘Seongmi Mountain Bird Survey’ through a professional institution. The survey confirmed that 27 bird species inhabit Seongsan Neighborhood Park, including the endangered level 2 species Black-faced Spoonbill and the natural monument Eurasian Scops Owl.

To protect habitats, 11 shortcut paths crossing bird habitats were closed, and after expert consultation, bird food plants such as Cornus officinalis and Ilex integra were planted.

On vacant lots, about 40,000 trees were planted to create 15 multilayered forests, and six biotopes were installed to enhance the mountain’s ecological value.

Additionally, based on residents’ opinions, dangerous trees near walking trails were removed, and hazardous slopes were maintained to ensure the safety of residents using the mountain, completing the preservation project.

Residents participating in the Win-Win Committee said, “It feels like a long-entangled knot has finally been untied.”

A district official said, “The Win-Win Committee, which started from Mayor Park Kang-soo’s pledge to prioritize communication and complaint resolution with residents, is expected to play a significant role in resolving longstanding local conflicts, just as it settled the Seongmi Mountain dispute.”

On December 30 last year, the district held the 9th On-Site Mayor’s Office at Saeteo Mountain in Seongsan 2-dong, listening to explanations from project stakeholders about the ‘Saetteo Neighborhood Park Development Project’ and inspecting the project site and surrounding area.

The district plans to reflect various opinions collected through the on-site mayor’s office and prepare measures that allow residents and nature to coexist rather than projects that could damage Saeteo Mountain.

Mayor Park Kang-soo of Mapo-gu said, “The key to solving increasingly complex and diverse local issues starts with communication that properly understands each other’s thoughts and intentions,” adding, “We will continue to listen to residents’ voices through on-site mayor’s offices and Win-Win Committees to serve as a foundation for resolving local conflicts and policy development.”

Jung-gu Installs Crosswalks in Front of Ssangyong Namsan Platinum Apartments and Dongdaemun Nuzon Fashion Mall

Seoul Jung-gu (Mayor Kim Gil-sung) has newly installed two crosswalks in areas where jaywalking frequently occurs.

The district carried out improvement works on road traffic facilities causing inconvenience to residents from August to December last year, with a total budget of 290 million KRW.

Previously, to cross from Ssangyong Namsan Platinum Apartments toward Hoehyeon-dong, pedestrians had to detour 300 meters to use the crosswalk at the intersection. To resolve this inconvenience, a crosswalk was installed in front of the apartment, connecting Hoehyeon-dong and Myeong-dong. Tourists using the Namsan Oreumi elevator to ascend Namsan Mountain can now move more easily.

A crosswalk was also created between Dongdaemun Nuzon Fashion Mall and DDP Fashion Mall, where clothing stores are concentrated, allowing easy movement between the two malls. Sidewalk expansion and traffic island installation were carried out simultaneously, improving the flow of pedestrians and vehicles.

Additionally, five locations with frequent traffic accidents, including Hoehyeon Intersection and Cheonggye 8-ga Intersection, had risk factors completely removed. Sidewalk curbs at crosswalk entrances were lowered, unnecessary traffic islands removed, enabling safe passage for vulnerable road users. Old sidewalks were repaved, and separation between sidewalks and roads was completed.

Mayor Kim Gil-sung of Jung-gu stated, “We will continue to carefully inspect and improve locations with frequent traffic accidents and pedestrian inconvenience to create an environment where everyone can safely travel.”

Gwanak-gu Secures 4.26 Billion KRW for Overhead Cable Maintenance Project Committed to Creating Safe Walking and Living Environments

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) received the highest rating in the 2023 overhead cable maintenance local government evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, securing a budget of 4.26 billion KRW for overhead cable maintenance.

Based on last year’s performance and this year’s maintenance plan, the district achieved the largest budget among Seoul’s autonomous districts and earned the highest rating for three consecutive years.

Due to high population density, population mobility, and multi-family dense residential environments, residents have continuously demanded overhead cable maintenance.

Accordingly, based on resident surveys and field investigations, the district established a five-year overhead cable maintenance plan, aiming to invest a total of 21 billion KRW by 2026 to maintain 70% of the total 17,063 utility poles and communication poles.

This year, about 1,365 poles will be maintained in six neighborhoods including Inheon-dong, Jowon-dong, and Cheongnyong-dong, achieving 50% cumulative maintenance.

To ensure both expertise and resident satisfaction, the district operates an Overhead Cable Maintenance Council composed of experts, holding regular and ad hoc meetings, and actively collects local residents’ opinions through a field monitoring team during project implementation.

A district official said, “We will promote systematic and efficient overhead cable maintenance through phased and sequential work,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to improve urban aesthetics and walking and living environments that residents can feel.”

Additionally, anyone can report messy overhead cables requiring urgent maintenance to the Overhead Cable Maintenance Call Center for prompt service.

Gwangjin-gu Installs Nation’s First ‘Visible Fire Extinguisher Sign Blocks’

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) is drawing attention by introducing the nation’s first ‘visible fire extinguisher sign blocks.’

There are 708 public fire extinguisher boxes installed in crowded places throughout Gwangjin-gu. However, they are often obscured by street trees or utility poles, making it difficult to locate fire extinguishers.

To address this, the district devised the installation of ‘sign blocks’ to help pedestrians easily find fire extinguishers anytime and anywhere. This is especially aimed at pedestrians whose gaze is directed downward due to mobile phone use.

The ‘sign blocks’ engraved on the ground feature a bright red background with a fire extinguisher icon and the phrase “Anyone can use in case of fire,” attracting pedestrians’ attention.

They use UV-blocking pigments and colored special concrete, making them resistant to discoloration.

In December last year, in cooperation with Gwangjin Fire Station, five sign blocks were pilot-installed near subway stations. Installation sites include ▲Gwangjin-gu Office ▲Gwangnaru Station ▲Gunja Station ▲Junggok Station ▲Guui Intersection, prioritizing fire-vulnerable areas with heavy foot traffic.

A resident praised, “The fire extinguisher image on the ground naturally caught my eye,” adding, “It’s reassuring because I can easily identify fire extinguisher locations that were hard to find before.”

The district plans to install 30 additional visible fire extinguisher sign blocks by June this year, quickly introducing them in fire-vulnerable areas such as traditional markets and shopping districts across 15 neighborhoods.

Mayor Kim Kyung-ho of Gwangjin-gu said, “Since initial fire suppression is crucial in case of fire, we expect this sign block installation to greatly help prevent damage,” adding, “We will continue to provide generous support to protect residents’ lives and property.”