Seongdong-gu Creates Safe and Pleasant Walking Environment with Undergrounding of School Routes

Selected for Green New Deal Undergrounding Project Led by Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Securing a Total Budget of Approximately 5.99 Billion KRW Including National and City Funds
Undergrounding Construction to Begin in Okjeong Middle School Area in April, Business Agreement to Be Signed in April for Geumok Elementary School Area with Construction Starting in 2025

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jeong Wono) is launching an undergrounding project to secure the safety of school routes and systematically organize utility poles and overhead lines that detract from the urban landscape.

The undergrounding project involves burying overhead lines such as electricity and communication cables underground, removing utility poles and communication poles on sidewalks to improve the walking environment, and creating a clean residential environment.

Seongdong-gu secured a budget of approximately 2.53 billion KRW (591 million KRW from the national government, 519 million KRW from the city, and 1.423 billion KRW from Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and telecommunications companies) after the “Okjeong Middle School Area Undergrounding Project” was selected in the 2022 Green New Deal Undergrounding Public Contest hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The project section covers the school route around Okjeong Middle School, extending from Hallimmal-gil 11 to Dokseodang-ro 207 (total length 0.52 km). Construction will begin in April and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025, including burying the disorderly overhead lines and removing 26 KEPCO poles and 2 communication poles within the section.

This section is known for heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and is considered a high-risk area for safety accidents due to utility poles and overhead lines. Through this undergrounding project, the disorderly overhead lines will be buried underground, and utility and communication poles will be removed, creating a safer walking environment and significantly improving the urban landscape.

Seongdong-gu was also selected for the Green New Deal Undergrounding Public Contest this year, securing a total budget of approximately 3.46 billion KRW (850 million KRW from the national government, 790 million KRW from the city, and 1.82 billion KRW from KEPCO and telecommunications companies) to proceed with the “Geumok Elementary School Undergrounding Project.”

The project section covers the school route around Geumok Elementary School, from Dokseodang-ro 220 to 265 (total length 1.3 km), where overhead lines will be buried and 21 KEPCO poles and 2 communication poles will be removed. To this end, a business agreement will be signed with KEPCO and telecommunications companies in April, with construction planned to start next year to expedite the project.

Jeong Wono, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “The areas around Okjeong Middle School and Geumok Elementary School are heavily used by students and residents, and we expect the undergrounding project to create a safer commuting environment. We will do our best to systematically promote undergrounding projects in the future to increase residents’ satisfaction and build a safe and pleasant city.”