Oh Se-hoon Declares 'Sangam Re-Creation'... "Will Create Seoul's Representative Family Leisure Space"

Concept Plan Unveiled for Mega Leisure and Entertainment District 'Yas Island'
Family-Oriented Space Featuring Zipline, Monorail, and Digital Art
"Sangam Secures Necessary Idle Space... Includes Storytelling and Fun Functions"
"Plan to Refer to Various Overseas Best Practices and Domestic Urban Cases"

On the 9th (local time), Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated, "The Sangam area is a space where we have secured the idle space we need, and we will create a leisure space where families can enjoy by adding storytelling and fun functions." He also revealed detailed plans under the so-called 'Sangam Re-creation Vision,' including systems to improve accessibility such as zip lines and creating an art space utilizing digital media.

On the same day, Mayor Oh held a meeting with accompanying reporters at a hotel in downtown Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and presented the concept of the 'Sangam Re-creation Comprehensive Plan,' emphasizing that "Sangam DMC is an optimal space with secured idle and green spaces."

On the 9th (local time), Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visits Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to hear about development cases.
[Photo by Seoul City]

"A place with storytelling... Creating a leisure space within Seoul's boundaries where families can enjoy together"

Mayor Oh mentioned the background of the initiative, saying, "Sangam started as a landfill site in the past, and by utilizing the space, we created Sky Park and Sunset Park, turning it into a wonderful green park. Based on the potential that by adding fun functions to such storytelling, it can become a representative garden city space where leisure can be spent within the city limits."

Visiting Yas Island, which transformed an uninhabited island into a world-class leisure and entertainment district, was in the same context during this UAE trip. Currently, this 25 km² area hosts more than 40 hotels, over 30 restaurants, Ferrari World, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Waterworld, and more. Mayor Oh inspected the site and specifically checked the scale of family visitors, prioritizing family-friendly facilities applicable to the Sangam area.

At the meeting, Mayor Oh elaborated, "The Sangam district has ample idle spaces we need, including Sky Park, Sunset Park, World Cup Park, and Hangang Park," and added that he would "make the Sangam area a leisure space within Seoul's boundaries where families can enjoy together."

He also introduced some specific development concepts. Mayor Oh said, "The safest and most certain way to express our position is to directly observe, gauge the possibilities, refine them carefully, and then announce," but added, "We are currently planning systems to complement cutting-edge local transportation accessibility such as zip lines, monorails, and moving walkways."

He proposed a restructuring plan connecting Sky Park and Sunset Park. Mayor Oh said, "(Sky Park and Sunset Park) are currently operated as separate spaces," and forecasted, "If Gangbyeonbuk-ro is undergrounded, it will naturally connect to Hangang Park, creating a continuous space linking Sunset Park, Sky Park, World Cup Park, and Hangang Park."

Accordingly, the next day, he visited the 'Saadiyat Cultural District,' located 10 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi, to review cultural and tourism utilization plans for Sangam's rebirth. The 'Saadiyat Cultural District' project is an initiative by Abu Dhabi, which historically developed around the oil industry, to diversify its economy and promote culture and tourism industries. It is being developed with the goal of becoming a cultural city in the Middle East, gathering world-class cultural facilities in cooperation with institutions such as the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the British Museum in the UK.

On the 10th (local time), Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon tours the Louvre Abu Dhabi within the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi.
[Photo by Seoul City]

'Sangam Re-creation Project' underway... Integration of the Hangang area is key

Through Mayor Oh's trip, the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to actively reflect private business proposals and ideas into the comprehensive plan and individual projects for 'Sangam's rebirth.' Currently, Seoul is promoting linked projects aiming for an 'Eco City' that considers nature and future generations, a 'Fun City' full of enjoyment, and a 'Creative City' attracting global talents for innovative changes in the western gateway Sangam area.

The core is the integration of DMC, World Cup Park, and the Hangang area, which are currently separated by railroads, parks, and roads. To this end, plans have been made to utilize newly available land generated by the three-dimensionalization of the Gyeongui Line and Gangbyeonbuk-ro and to rearrange roads and green spaces. In particular, the plan envisions actively connecting the Sangam DMC landmark site, which is separated by Nanji Stream Park and the resource recovery facility, with the Hangang River, Sunset Park, and Sky Park through a three-dimensional concept.

This also includes a reorganization of the transportation system. In addition to Subway Line 6, the Gyeongui Line, and the Airport Railroad, the plan aims to utilize the potential as a transportation hub with ongoing metropolitan and urban rail projects. The introduction of new transportation modes such as monorails, gondolas, and specialized buses within the area is being pursued to improve accessibility for surrounding tourists and access to each hub, as well as to enhance convenience for residents and the economic population.

The currently ongoing cultural projects, including the Culture Depot, Mapo Agricultural and Marine Products Market, and the resource recovery facility area, will be promoted as core leading projects with the establishment of detailed comprehensive plans alongside individual project implementation. The private investment project for the 'Ferris wheel and complex cultural facility' was announced in March 2023. Private proposals were received in November of the same year, and related procedures are underway with a goal to start construction in 2026. Seoul emphasizes that active participation from the private sector, as well as the public sector, is necessary for Sangam's rebirth.

Mayor Oh added, "We will revitalize the Sangam area as a space where family leisure and rest harmonize by referring to excellent overseas cases and domestic urban examples confirmed during this trip." However, regarding the local leisure spaces observed during this trip, he drew a line on connectivity, saying, "We are borrowing the concept." Mayor Oh explained, "I also visited Inspire newly built in Incheon. It is a work of drawing a blueprint densely arranging leisure spaces where families can enjoy together."