Seoul City Details 'Great Hangang' Blueprint... Launches Execution Strategy Service

Seoul City announced on the 27th that it will commission a service to develop detailed spatial planning and specific implementation strategies for the 'Great Hangang' project, which aims to transform the Hangang waterfront spaces into citizen leisure areas centered on rest, culture, and the arts.

The city plans to release the preliminary service specifications on the 28th of this month, followed by a bidding announcement. The project duration is 18 months from the start date, with a budget of 795 million KRW. Mayor Oh Se-hoon previously announced the Great Hangang project on the 9th, which includes the construction of the Yeouido 2nd Sejong Cultural Center and the promotion of a gondola crossing over the Hangang. This project is a follow-up to the 'Hangang Renaissance' initiative announced by Mayor Oh in 2007.

Through this service, the city plans to investigate major project sites along the more than 41 km stretch of the Hangang riverside and the leisure functions throughout the entire Hangang area. In this process, approximately three underutilized sites requiring urgent improvement or linkage with the main 'Great Hangang' project will be identified, and execution strategies for creating safe spaces, such as improving accessibility, will be devised.

The project will also present a concrete vision for the future Hangang, focusing on flood control functions and innovation of waterfront spaces. Starting with specific spatial planning by type, the city intends to launch pilot projects next year and gradually expand the application areas.

The city expects that the establishment of various spatial models implemented in phases and continuous pilot projects will form the blueprint for completing 'Hangang Renaissance 2.0.' The diverse leisure space types for the Hangang, concretized through this service, are also anticipated to be applicable to the four major tributaries (Anyangcheon, Jungnangcheon, Tancheon, and Hongjecheon) as well as smaller streams.

Hong Seon-gi, Director of Future Spatial Planning at Seoul City, stated, "Through concrete spatial planning centered on daily life, we will make every effort to ensure that anyone can enjoy leisure activities along the Hangang waterfront anytime and anywhere."