Noryangjin Station Area Transformed into Waterfront Complex Hub Connecting Yeouido and Yongsan

The area around Noryangjin Station on Subway Line 1, including the old Noryangjin Fish Market, will be transformed into a waterfront complex hub connecting Yeouido and Yongsan. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to improve the poor transportation accessibility while promoting high-density development that integrates office and residential facilities.

Perspective view of the low-utilization site at the southern end of Hangang Railway Bridge district unit plan / Image provided by Seoul City

On the 26th, Seoul held a joint urban and architectural committee meeting and announced on the 27th that it had approved a revised district unit plan for the underutilized land near the southern end of the Hangang Railroad Bridge.

This decision was made to reorganize the underutilized land area, including the old Noryangjin Fish Market site owned by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives adjacent to Noryangjin Station on Subway Line 1, into a new waterfront complex hub in Seoul connecting Yeouido and Yongsan.

The target site is a station area adjacent to the Hangang River and Yeouido, but transportation accessibility is very poor due to the Gyeongbu Line railroad and Olympic-daero cutting through it. Although the straight-line distance from the site to Yeouido is 300 meters, it is inaccessible on foot, and vehicles must travel more than 3 kilometers to reach it. Since the relocation of the Noryangjin Fish Market, the area has been used as a soccer field and other purposes, necessitating proactive and integrated management.

To enhance accessibility, three roads connecting Noryangjin-ro and Yeouidong-ro and one pedestrian bridge connecting Noryangjin Station and Hangang Citizen’s Park have been newly constructed. Once the roads are completed, the travel distance from Noryangjin Station to Yeouido will be shortened to about 650 meters, and it will be possible to reach Hangang Park on foot within approximately 8 minutes from Noryangjin Station.

Additionally, Seoul designated three large-scale sites, including the old Noryangjin Fish Market site, as special planning zones to present strategic development directions.

Location map of the low-utilization site at the southern end of Hangang Railway Bridge district unit plan / Image provided by Seoul City

First, the old Noryangjin Fish Market site owned by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives will expand infrastructure such as the new road connecting to Yeouido. The zoning will be upgraded to a general commercial area with a height limit of up to 200 meters and a floor area ratio of up to 800%, encouraging high-density development with mixed functions such as international-level offices and urban residences linked to the Yeouido and Yeongdeungpo downtown areas.

The Water Supply Materials Management Center site will have underground infrastructure, and the aboveground area will be upgraded to a semi-residential zone with a height limit of up to 150 meters and a floor area ratio of up to 400%, allowing a mix of commercial and residential functions. Cultural functions reflecting the waterfront ambiance will be introduced to create a landmark where visitors can experience the charm of the Hangang riverside.

The area around Noryangjin Station, which has low land use as an aboveground railroad, will have an artificial ground constructed over the railroad to connect nearby sites such as the Fisheries Cooperative by pedestrian pathways. The zoning will be upgraded to a semi-residential area with a height limit of up to 150 meters and a floor area ratio of up to 400%, introducing commercial and office functions. Through the railroad complex station project, it will be developed as a vital hub for the local economy.

Following the approval of this plan by the joint urban and architectural committee, a two-week public inspection period for residents will be held, and the final plan is scheduled to be decided and announced in the second half of the year. The old Noryangjin Fish Market site is planned to begin preliminary negotiations in the first half of 2024, with cooperation to expedite private projects by preparing specific public contribution measures.

Hong Seon-gi, Director of Future Space Planning at Seoul City, stated, “The district unit plan decision for the large-scale idle land around Noryangjin Station will establish a connection system between Noryangjin and Yeouido and serve as an opportunity to revitalize the stagnant area through the development of a specialized urban space with a waterfront ambiance.”