[Seoul's Future] Oh Se-hoon: "I Will Apply Seoul City's Core Policies Comprehensively to Yongsan Development"

Asia Economy Seoul Future Forum - Yongsan's Future Congratulatory Address
Mayor Oh: "Yongsan, the Place Facing the Biggest Change in Seoul"
"Compact City... Applying Beyond Zoning, Pedestrian Daily Zones, etc."
Emphasizing 'Spatial Reorganization' to Strengthen Global Urban Competitiveness

On the 26th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced, "We will comprehensively apply Seoul's core policies to the Yongsan International Business District development project." Mayor Oh, who introduced concepts such as Beyond Zoning (mixed-use area), pedestrian daily life city, architectural design innovation, garden city, and Fun City, promised, "We will create a future city in the heart of Seoul's Yongsan that is more than twice the size of Yeouido Park, and around a 100-story landmark, we will enable work, residence, and leisure cultural life to be all resolved within the same building or living area."

On the same day in the afternoon, Mayor Oh delivered a congratulatory speech on the theme of "The Future of Yongsan" at the '2024 Future of Seoul Forum' hosted by Asia Economy at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, presenting this direction for the Yongsan development plan.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is giving a congratulatory speech at the '2024 Seoul Future Forum: The Future of Yongsan' held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 26th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The 'Future of Seoul Forum' is an event started by Asia Economy in 2022 following the opening of the Blue House. Beginning with 'Seochon' in its first year, last year it reviewed 'The Future of the Han River' with experts to discuss ways to enhance Seoul's competitiveness. This year, it addressed the development direction of Yongsan. Since Yongsan is the core axis of the city center encompassing administration, finance, and IT functions concentrated in Gwanghwamun, Yeouido, and Gangnam, changes in Yongsan are seen as the future of Seoul.

Mayor Oh also described Yongsan as "the place in Seoul facing the greatest change," evaluating it as "formerly a center of trade where people and goods gathered, and now a hub connecting Seoul's city center Yeouido and Gangnam, as well as a key point in railway transportation."

He expressed regret that due to past policy directions different from the present, the potential for growth into a global city was not rapidly realized. Mayor Oh stated, "Despite Yongsan's infinite development potential and possibilities, it is true that its value has not been maximized due to development regulations and spatial disconnections caused by the compressed growth of the city center."

He pointed out spatial reorganization as the most important factor. Mayor Oh said, "To strengthen global city competitiveness, spatial reorganization of the city is urgent," identifying Yongsan as the driving force to lead Seoul's central space and global city status. He particularly mentioned the ongoing projects centered on Yongsan, such as the creation of Yongsan Park, the development of the Yongsan International Business District, and the Nodeul Global Art Island, asserting, "It will become the future center leading Korea's politics, economy, and culture." He continued, "Seoul has declared a major urban space transformation to enhance city competitiveness, improve citizens' quality of life, and secure sustainable growth engines. We announced the Yongsan International Business District development plan to leap forward the Yongsan Maintenance Depot site, which has been neglected for over a decade, into the future center of Seoul, and have started projects that will raise the value of Yongsan and, furthermore, Seoul."

He also forecasted the birth of a 'Compact City.' Mayor Oh stated, "The Yongsan International Business District development project will comprehensively apply Seoul's core policies such as Beyond Zoning, pedestrian daily life city, architectural design innovation, garden city, and Fun City." According to the current Seoul development plan, the Yongsan International Business District is divided into the International Business Zone, Business Complex Zone, and Business Support Zone in a flat layout. Vertically, it is divided into underground, ground, and aerial city. This separates the routes for rail and vehicles from pedestrian routes, a measure to resolve spatial disconnection caused by railways.

What differs from the 2007 plan is that the center of the Yongsan International Business District is placed in front of Yongsan Station. The core is the 'Green Square (80,000㎡),' a base where people can freely stroll or move to performance halls, exhibition centers, or commercial facilities. A cover was created over the railway tracks to make a pedestrian space. When walking out from the third-floor platform of Yongsan Station, it connects to Green Square, and one can walk through the cover park over Gangbyeonbuk-ro to the Han River. A pedestrian path is also created in the air. On the podium floors 3-4 of the International Business Zone ground level, there is a podium bridge, and on the 45th floor, a 1.1 km Sky Trail is constructed, allowing panoramic views of the Han River and Namsan.

Kwon Young-se, member of the People Power Party, Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul, Woo Hyung-chan, Vice Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and Woo Byung-hyun, CEO of Asia Economy, are attending the "2024 Future of Seoul Forum: Future of Yongsan" held on the 26th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@