[Yongsan's Future] "Bigger than Seoul Station"... Yongsan Reborn as a Transportation Hub

③Transportation Hub Yongsan, Preparing for a New Transformation with Underground Development
Gained Status as a 'Logistics Hub' During Japanese Colonial Period
Intersection Area Where Honam Line Trains and Line 1 Subway Pass
From Transportation Including GTX and Airport Railroad to Commercial Development

Editor's NoteYongsan, which once held the "forbidden land," is entering a new turning point. The Yongsan US military base, which had been off-limits to the general public for over a century, has transformed into Yongsan Park, a space for all citizens. With the relocation of the presidential office, it has established itself as the new center of power in the Republic of Korea, and development plans have also begun in earnest. There are ongoing demands to expand its role as a center of history and culture. Despite being a "prime piece of land" along the Han River connecting Namsan and the Han River in the heart of Seoul, it still harbors underdeveloped residential areas. Experts emphasize that to enhance Seoul's global competitiveness as a city where power, business, history, and culture converge, attention must be paid to Yongsan. In that sense, Yongsan represents both the present and future of Korean cities.

Every day, various people come and go at Yongsan Station. It serves more than just a simple train station terminal and subway station; it also houses a large department store and complex facilities. As a transportation hub connecting the metropolitan area and provinces and a junction linking Gangnam, Yeongdeungpo, and Yeouido districts across the Han River, Yongsan always attracts crowds inside and outside the station. Now, with various development projects underway in the Yongsan-gu area, which is the center of Seoul, it is attempting to leap beyond a simple station to become a ‘global hub’.

Yongsan Station area. [Photo by Seoul 2010 Urban Form and Landscape, Seoul Metropolitan Government]

From a Logistics Hub to a Large Commercial District

Yongsan Station, where the Yongsan Line, Gyeongbu Line, and Gyeongwon Line pass through, has long established itself as a rail transportation hub connecting the entire country alongside Seoul Station. Opened with the completion of the Hangang Railroad Bridge in 1900, Yongsan Station was initially a small station but expanded with the extension of the Gyeongin Line. Later, with the start of rail freight transport, it functioned as a full-fledged logistics hub.

This began during the Japanese colonial period. The Japanese forces stationed in Yongsan designed the area so that major trunk railroads would pass through, establishing the Railway Bureau, railway factories, and railway residences to create a new town. At that time, Yongsan Station was not only a station for passengers and freight but also a place for housing and maintaining railway vehicles. Even today, around Yongsan Station, one can see the former train depot site, railway residences, and the Yongsan Station History Museum.

After liberation, Yongsan continued its role as a rail transportation hub. However, the station built during the Japanese colonial period was destroyed, reducing its scale, and its role as a freight transport base disappeared. Later, with the opening of the KTX in 2004 and the construction of the Hyundai Development Company’s private station, its status expanded again. Large commercial facilities such as I'Park Mall and E-Mart Yongsan Branch were established at Yongsan Station, transforming it into a commercial district. Thanks to this, a station nearly three times larger than Seoul Station was newly created.

Yongsan Station in the 1900s. Opened alongside the completion of the Hangang Railroad Bridge in 1900, Yongsan Station was initially a small station but expanded in size with the extension of the Gyeongin Line. At that time, Yongsan Station was not only a hub for passengers and freight but also a place for housing and maintaining railway vehicles. [Source=Yongsan History Museum]

The appearance of Yongsan Station and the station square in 1995. This is the view before the current privately financed station building was constructed. [Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Government, 1995 Urban Form and Landscape]

Seoul’s Center, a Crossroad Over the Han River

Although its image as a large commercial district is prominent now, Yongsan Station still functions as a transportation hub connecting the nation and the metropolitan area alongside Seoul Station.

While Seoul Station operates trains to Gyeongsang Province and Chungbuk (Busan, Masan, Jinju, Pohang, Jecheon), Yongsan Station operates trains to Jeolla Province and the west coast (Mokpo, Gwangju, Yeosu Expo, Iksan). Trains such as the G-train, Gyeongchun Line ITX-Cheongchun, Honam, Jeolla, Janghang Line ITX-Saemaeul and Saemaeul trains, and Mugunghwa trains start here, and most Honam and Jeolla Line KTX trains depart from and arrive at Yongsan Station. According to Korail, as of the 28th of last month, the average daily number of passengers using KTX and regular trains at Yongsan Station was 64,000.

Citizens using Yongsan Station.

Yongsan Station also serves as a metropolitan transportation hub crossing Seoul. Along with Seoul Station, it is a major transfer station on Subway Line 1 and the intersection of the Gyeongui and Jungang Lines. Because of this, Yongsan Station has an average daily ridership of about 80,000, making it the second busiest station in the metropolitan subway system.

However, the station building itself is not as large as Seoul Station. Most of the station space is dedicated to commercial facilities, and the actual station area for railway operations is smaller than Seoul Station, which is noticeable. The number of trains is also limited due to insufficient track capacity, making it difficult to increase the number of trains. Because of this, there have been ongoing calls to prepare for increasing passenger demand as site development is expected in the future. A Korail official explained, "Currently, Yongsan Station trains are saturated, but it is not possible to expand only Yongsan Station," adding, "It is expected to be resolved with the opening of the Incheon KTX (Pyeongtaek~Osong section) in 2025."

Considering the Han River as a focal point, Yongsan serves as a gateway to the city with bridges such as Hangang Bridge, Hangang Railroad Bridge, Banpo Bridge, Hannam Bridge, and Dongjak Bridge spanning it. The main road in Yongsan is Hangang-ro, a major arterial road connecting Seoul Station and Hangang Bridge. It passes through Dongjak-gu and connects to the Gyeongbu Expressway and National Route 1, crossing Yongsan-gu. Thus, Yongsan plays the role of a central area of Seoul connecting Gangnam, Yeongdeungpo, and Yeouido districts along the Han River.

Yongsan Station Area Emerging as a Frontier

A bird's-eye view of the Yongsan Railroad Hospital site. On the Yongsan Railroad Hospital site (10,772㎡), a residential complex with 610 units is planned to be built, ranging from 6 basement floors to a maximum height of 33 floors above ground. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

Since the inauguration of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the geographical importance of Yongsan has been emphasized, and voices calling for its development as Seoul’s transportation hub have grown louder. Despite its advantage as the city center, it still retains a backward appearance due to the railway crossing north to south and remnants of foreign military bases.

According to a 2014 survey by the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements on urban decline nationwide, Yongsan-gu ranked third among Seoul’s 25 districts in terms of underdevelopment. Yongsan-gu is one of the areas in Seoul with the most sections where railroads run above ground. Because the Yongsan US military base cuts through it, the road width is limited to just four lanes (two lanes each way). The former Yongsan Maintenance Depot site near Yongsan Station is included in the Yongsan International Business District development project and is scheduled for development. The Yongsan International Business District development project aims to transform the approximately 500,000㎡ former Yongsan Maintenance Depot near Yongsan Station into international business, residential, and park areas.

The Yongsan Maintenance Depot site is owned 70% by Korail and 30% by Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation). Additionally, on the site of the former military base, the Yongsan Asia Apartment site, 999 residential units in buildings up to 36 stories high will be constructed. This became possible after Seoul City adjusted the floor area ratio from below 340% to below 382% on the 13th of last month.

The Yongsan Railroad Hospital site near Yongsan Station is also slated for development. After the closure of Chung-Ang University Yongsan Hospital in 2011, the site has been vacant for over ten years. A mixed-use building with six underground floors and 34 above-ground floors will be built, supplying 610 residential units.

With the government announcing various land development projects such as the international business district and Yongsan Park, the undergrounding of the railway currently running above ground is also being pursued. The passage of the "Special Act on Railway Undergrounding and Integrated Development of Railway Sites" in the National Assembly plenary session is making railway undergrounding increasingly realistic. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to establish a comprehensive plan for integrated railway underground development by next year, and Seoul City aims to formulate a spatial plan by September.

Yongsan Station Connecting Nationwide

The transportation network at Yongsan Station is also expected to expand. The Great Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX) Line B will open at Yongsan Station. The basic plan for the GTX-B Yongsan~Sangbong section involves an investment of 2.3511 trillion KRW to construct 19.95 km between Yongsan and Sangbong and a 4.27 km connection section to the Jungang Line, establishing four new stations: Yongsan, Seoul, Cheongnyangni, and Sangbong. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will begin construction this month on the Yongsan~Sangbong section of GTX-B, aiming for completion by 2030. Once GTX-B opens, it is expected to take 23 minutes from Songdo to Yeouido and 29 minutes to Seoul Station.

There is also mention of the possibility of extending the Shinbundang Line to Yongsan Station, which currently extends to Sinsa Station. The Shinbundang Line extension was a key pledge of President Yoon Suk-yeol and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. The plan is to start from Sinsa Station, add Dongbinggo Station in Gangbuk, and extend to Yongsan Station. However, the project stalled after failing to pass the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s preliminary feasibility study. At the time, Mayor Oh emphasized his intention to re-pursue the project, stating, "We will review alternative routes to improve the project's economic feasibility."

With plans for the Yongsan International Business District around the Yongsan Maintenance Depot, the proposal to establish a new Airport Railroad line starting from Yongsan Station is also being reconsidered. The extension of the Airport Railroad to Yongsan Station was promoted in 2010 when the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport established the "Basic Plan for Airport Railroad Connection Facility Expansion," but it was halted after one year. However, this year, Seoul City clearly expressed its intention to expand advanced public transportation infrastructure by re-promoting the Yongsan International Business District development and the establishment of a new Airport Railroad line starting from Yongsan Station, bringing the Airport Railroad extension project back to the forefront.