[Seoul's Future] Cruise Tourism from Yeouido to Incheon and Jeju... West Sea Shipping Route Opens

New Pier to Be Built in Yeouido by April Next Year
Incheon Regular Passenger Ships Operate 150 Times a Year
Seoul Port to Be Completed in 2026, Extending Service to Jeju

"The lock is opening!"

In April 2024, when spring flowers are in full bloom, a Han River cruise ship carrying 800 passengers departs from the Yeouido dock. As it passes Bamseom Island and reaches Gimpo, the massive Ara Han River Lock, measuring 157 meters in length, comes into view. The lock slowly opens, and as the cruise ship enters through the gap, passengers exclaim in awe from all around. The lock acts as a kind of 'elevator' for the ship. Soon, the water levels of the Han River and the Ara Waterway, which previously differed by more than 30 cm, are equalized. After about 10 minutes, the cruise ship passes through another lock on the opposite side and heads again toward the vast West Sea.

The Ara Han River Lock, along with the Ara West Sea Lock (Incheon), is considered a key route of the 'West Sea Waterway.' There are only a few places worldwide where you can see locks from aboard a ship, such as the Suez Canal in Egypt and the Panama Canal in Panama. Next, the cruise passes by the Ara Waterfall, the largest artificial waterfall in Korea, and as passengers enjoy jazz and taekwondo performances on board, they arrive at the Ara Incheon Passenger Terminal, where the scent of the sea fills the air.

Kim Jin-man, CEO of Hyundai Marine Leisure, which currently operates cruises between Gimpo Passenger Terminal and Incheon Passenger Terminal, said, "Once a dock is established in Yeouido and the Han River connects to the West Sea, we expect 800,000 passengers in the first year of operation, 1.2 million in the second year, and eventually over 2 million tourists annually to visit Seoul by cruise." He added, "There is sufficient business potential. We plan to diversify routes and activate events such as fireworks and performances to attract tourists."

The Ara Hangang Gate was opened to enter the Gyeongin Ara Waterway from the Han River. (Photo by Seoul City)

West Sea Waterway Sets Sail... Yeouido Dock Established Ahead of Seoul Port

The 'West Sea Waterway,' a core project of the 'Great Han River Project' promoted by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, has officially set sail. Ahead of the completion of Seoul Port in the first half of 2026, Seoul City plans to build the necessary infrastructure for navigation between the Han River and the Gyeongin Ara Waterway and to promote ship operations by constructing a new dock in Yeouido Hangang Park by April next year.

The new dock will be located between the southern end of Mapo Bridge and the planned site of Seoul Port. It will be 102 meters long and 32 meters wide, capable of accommodating three 1,000-ton ships simultaneously. Seoul City aims to design the dock to berth various sizes of vessels at the same time, enabling as many ships as possible to actively come and go. Additionally, the boarding platform (6 meters wide) will be designed spaciously to ensure passengers can board and disembark safely and conveniently, along with amenities such as a waiting room and rest areas.

Once the Yeouido dock is completed, the regular passenger route between Yeouido, Gimpo, and Incheon will operate 150 times a year. Seoul City plans to gradually expand routes to West Sea islands in cooperation with private shipping companies and neighboring local governments. Last year, from October to December, Seoul City successfully completed 15 trial runs (with a total of 3,838 passengers) on a route circling near Yeouido in cooperation with a private shipping company operating 1,000-ton vessels.

A Seoul City official explained, "Seoul citizens and domestic and international tourists visiting Seoul will soon be able to enjoy linked water and land tourism. In the morning, they can take a boat to experience Han River cruises and onboard performances, and in the afternoon, they can tour attractions by sightseeing bus or ride bicycles and personal mobility devices brought on board."

Yeouido Ferry Terminal, Seoul Port, West Sea Waterway Location Map

The construction of the Yeouido dock and the introduction of ships will be carried out purely with private capital, with Seoul City providing the necessary administrative support. Seoul City plans to strictly manage and supervise safety accident prevention and compliance with business conditions related to dock construction and ship operations.

To strengthen public interest, Seoul City will operate the dock as an open facility, allowing ships from other companies wishing to operate on the West Sea Waterway to freely moor or berth in cooperation with the private shipping company constructing the dock. Furthermore, based on the city’s philosophy of 'walking with the vulnerable,' it plans to provide free boarding opportunities annually to about 2,000 socially disadvantaged people and support educational programs such as ship safety experiences and career experiences for elementary, middle, and high school students.

◇ Cruise Tourism from Seoul Port to Jeju = In 2026, the Yeouido dock will be upgraded to 'Seoul Port,' a passenger terminal capable of accommodating cruise ships of up to 5,000 tons. As cruise ships grow larger, it will become possible to offer cruise tourism from the Han River to Jeju Port via Gunsan Port and Mokpo Port. Passenger ships from countries including China and Southeast Asia will also be able to enter Seoul Port from Incheon Passenger Terminal via the Ara Waterway.

Seoul City has completed the selection of contractors for the basic plan and feasibility study and will begin full-scale work related to Seoul Port this month. The city plans to establish Seoul Port as a domestic port by 2026 and develop it into an international port by 2028 by introducing CIQ (Customs, Immigration, Quarantine). Until Seoul Port is completed in 2026, Seoul City will regularly monitor ships using the Yeouido dock to check and resolve any issues arising from West Sea Waterway operations.

The significance of the West Sea Waterway project lies in moving beyond enjoying only the Han River banks to actively utilizing the Han River as a waterway. Seoul City plans to first use the Han River waterway for tourism, logistics, and leisure purposes, and later introduce water buses on the Han River for commuting, similar to London in the UK or New York in the USA.

Joo Yong-tae, head of Seoul City’s Han River Project Headquarters, said, "In Han River Renaissance 1.0, we focused on developing the riverbanks to solve overall problems such as artificial embankments, resulting in many attractions along the Ttukseom, Nanji, and Yeouido riverbanks, but there was no focus on water activities. Han River Renaissance 2.0 will concentrate on activating water-based activities." He added, "Cities with great rivers have developed through water activities, and Seoul can also become a top 5 global city through the Han River."

Concerns Over Project Outcomes and Environmental Issues... "Measures to be Taken"

However, since there are few attractions along the Han River and Gyeongin Ara Waterway sections, captivating content is needed to engage tourists during the over two-hour one-way trip to vitalize the West Sea Waterway. There are also calls for thorough review regarding potential adverse effects on the Han River ecosystem, including Bamseom Island, caused by large cruise ships.

Earlier, the Seoul Environmental Federation stated, "The ecological damage and water pollution caused by large ships have been sufficiently confirmed in the Gyeongin Ara Waterway, and safety issues have emerged due to the risk of collisions between leisure activities and large vessels such as cruise ships."

Accordingly, Seoul City plans to conduct an environmental impact assessment as early as next month to objectively understand the effects on the aquatic ecosystem and prepare detailed countermeasures. A study to analyze the impact on nearby fisheries is also planned.

Mayor Oh said, "Foreigners marvel at the Han River, which runs through a large city of 10 million people with a width of about 1 km and an enormous water volume. To lead the era of 30 million overseas tourists, starting with the construction of the Yeouido dock, we will concretize plans for regular navigation on the Han River?Gyeongin Ara Waterway and the opening of Seoul Port, while maintaining continuous dialogue with environmental groups to devise supplementary measures and preserve the naturalness of the Han River as much as possible."