"Great Changes Coming Soon to Gangnam"
Dosan, Yeongdong, Teheran, and Gangnam-daero to Feature Well-Patterned (井) Walkways
Robot Hub District Development Also Underway
Gangnam-gu Mayor Jo Seong-myeong said, "I will do my best to complete Gangnam-gu with a pleasant residential environment." Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@
"Gangnam" is a young and vibrant planned city. However, if you trace back to the designation of the Yeongdong District Development Promotion Zone, where the first development began, half a century has passed. Perhaps because of this, reconstruction projects are currently underway more actively than ever throughout Gangnam-gu. The large-scale development projects attracting nationwide attention, such as the development of the Samseong-dong International Exchange Complex District, are also in full swing.
On the 5th, I met with Cho Seong-myeong, the mayor of Gangnam-gu, in his office. He said, "The development of the Gangnam Area Metropolitan Complex Transfer Center is currently in the underground construction phase, so immediate changes are not noticeable, but soon you will be able to see tremendous changes with your own eyes," and added, "We will do our utmost to complete Gangnam-gu as a symbolic city of Korea while maintaining a pleasant residential environment."
If the source of the "tremendous changes" is the development project of the Samseong-dong International Exchange Complex District, which includes the Metropolitan Complex Transfer Center and Hyundai Motor Group's Global Business Center (GBC), then projects like the Gangnam Walkable Greenway are essential to becoming a city with a pleasant residential environment, according to Mayor Cho.
Mayor Cho said, "The project to create circular pedestrian-friendly roads along Dosan-daero and Teheran-ro in the east-west direction and Gangnam-daero and Yeongdong-daero in the north-south direction will secure the lacking green spaces within the building forest and establish a pedestrian-friendly city, becoming a new paradigm in urban planning." Below is a Q&A.
- The future of the International Exchange Complex District development project, as you mentioned, does not feel tangible yet.
△ That may be because it is not yet visible. The core of the International Exchange Complex District development project is the construction of the Gangnam Area Metropolitan Complex Transfer Center and the GBC. The Metropolitan Complex Transfer Center, being built over a 1 km section between Samseong Station and Bongeunsa Station, is scheduled for completion in 2028. Although the main civil engineering work is underway, it is still in the underground construction phase, so it is difficult to feel the changes immediately. However, once the above-ground construction and the GBC above-ground floors begin soon, you will be amazed.
When the Metropolitan Complex Transfer Center is completed, it will feature an integrated station for six railway lines in the underground section, including Subway Line 2 (Samseong Station), Line 9 (Bongeunsa Station), the Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX) Lines A and C, and the Wirye-Sinsa Light Rail, along with a bus and taxi transfer system, creating an integrated transfer environment. Additionally, Samseong Station is included in the government's planned GTX-D Line double Y-shaped connection line.
Large-scale shopping and cultural facilities will be newly established both above and below ground, linked with existing facilities such as COEX, becoming a core of the domestic MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry and a global tourist attraction. The GBC has completed the earth-retaining wall construction and is currently undergoing excavation. It will include a publicly donated (public contribution) performance hall with 2,000 seats, an observatory, tourist accommodation facilities, and the basement will connect to the Gangnam Area Metropolitan Complex Transfer Center.
- The Robot Hub District development project is also active.
△ We are actively promoting robot industry support projects such as the creation of the Robot Hub District and support for service robot testbeds. Since last month, a pilot project has been underway in the Teheran-ro and Seolleung Station areas, delivering office supplies and food and beverages using outdoor autonomous delivery robots. Guide service robots are also being tested at the district office main building and the Gangnam Future Education Center.
In the Suseo and Segok-dong areas, a hub district is being created where robot-related research institutes, companies, and startup support facilities are concentrated. The 'Robot Plus Demonstration Development Support Center' will be completed in March next year at 730 Suseo-dong. In cooperation with LH, 30% of the designated use within the office and distribution complex in the Suseo Station area has been allocated for robot companies to move in. A service contract for designating a specific development promotion district to attract robot companies will also be launched soon.
Seoul City is actively cooperating to establish the Seoul Robot Tech Center (SRTC) on the site of the Suseo Station transfer parking lot. Starting next year, a comprehensive plan related to robots will be established every five years, and an annual execution plan will be prepared to foster the robot industry more systematically.
District Mayor Cho stated, "We plan to soon initiate a project to designate a specific development promotion zone to attract robot companies to Suseo and Segok-dong." Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@
- Is it possible to create a walkable city?
△ Gangnam-gu has many well-known places outside, such as Seonjeongneung and Yangjaecheon, but there are also quite a few walking spots. The healing walking trail in the Hangang Jamwon District, which has beautiful night lighting, starts from Sinsa-dong Garosu-gil and continues along the walls of buildings such as Sinsa Middle School, Hyundai High School, and Miseong Apartments to Hangang Park. This path was transformed into a pleasant walking trail through a public design project.
The Samsung Sunrise Park, which was almost closed due to ambiguous usage, has become famous as a sunrise and night view spot, and the rocky hill in Segok-dong, which had not been developed for nearly 50 years, was made into a sports park (Gangnam Segok Sports Park) and recently opened. The Gangnam Walkable Greenway project, which creates circular pedestrian-friendly roads in the shape of a well (井) along Dosan-daero, Yeongdong-daero, Teheran-ro, and Gangnam-daero, also took its first step this year.
- How will the city change if the Walkable Greenway project is implemented?
△ The plan is to create walking courses within the city and utilize them as tourist resources. By creating street gardens and green belts within the sidewalks along major roads, the cityscape will be improved, and the green spaces' ability to absorb fine dust and noise and regulate temperature and humidity will be used to solve problems such as vehicle noise, air pollution, heat island effects, and flooding caused by heavy rain. If this plan is realized, the entire city will become more pleasant, and the value of the city and surrounding tangible assets will greatly increase.
This project requires close cooperation between Seoul City and the companies owning buildings along the relevant sections. For example, the district office signed a business agreement in July with POSCO Holdings for the creation of the Walkable Greenway and the activation of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management. POSCO manages and opens the green spaces and facilities created outside the POSCO Center on Teheran-ro to the public and cooperates when the district office wants to use them for cultural and artistic events. In return, the district office actively supports POSCO's social contribution and ESG-related activities.
- The entire Walkable Greenway section is over 10 km. It seems like a project that requires sustainability.
△ Gangnam-daero will be developed into a trendy street representing Seoul, with completion planned by the end of next year. A 'landmark street creation project' is underway over a 760 m section between Gangnam Station Exit 11 and Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 5, transforming it into a sophisticated and energetic pedestrian path. The 6.4 km Dosan-daero section from Sinsa Station Intersection to Yeongdong-daero Southern Bridge Intersection has been commissioned for basic design services.
The goal is to renovate it by 2025 as a sightseeing spot for tourists and a resting place for residents. Teheran-ro will be developed as a space for residents' rest and cultural and artistic events, and Yeongdong-daero will be made into a place for outings and a stage for large-scale festivals by 2028, coinciding with the underground space complex development.
- What projects will you focus on next year?
△ There are many, but safety issues are the most important. Gangnam-gu has the largest number of CCTV cameras among Seoul's 25 autonomous districts, with 7,428 units installed. Next year, we plan to further strengthen this by modernizing the equipment of the urban control center that monitors the entire Gangnam area via CCTV and establishing an AI intelligent selective monitoring system capable of recognizing people and vehicles.
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