Installation of Commemorative Plaque for Designation of Seoul Subway Line 1 as a Civil Engineering Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Korea

Unveiling Ceremony of Commemorative Plaque for Seoul Subway Line 1 Civil Engineering Cultural Heritage Held at City Hall Station on the 12th
Lee Byung-yoon, Chair of Seoul City Council Transportation Committee, Baek Ho, President of Construction Corporation, and Former Line 1 Workers Attend
50 Years of Seoul Subway as the 'Citizens' Feet'... Foundation for Seoul's Development and Growth

Seoul Metro (President Baek Ho) announced that it installed a commemorative plaque for the designation of civil engineering cultural heritage at City Hall Station on Line 1 and held an unveiling ceremony for the plaque on the 12th.

In April, the Korean Society of Civil Engineers selected Seoul Subway Line 1 (Seoul Station to Cheongnyangni section) as a civil engineering cultural heritage of South Korea, considering the symbolism of the Seoul subway. Seoul Subway Line 1 was opened on August 15, 1974, marking its 50th anniversary this year.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Lee Byung-yoon, Chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee, Baek Ho, President of Seoul Metro, Choi Jin-seok, Head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Urban Infrastructure Headquarters, the president of the Korean Society of Civil Engineers, and workers who were involved in the construction of Subway Line 1.

At the unveiling ceremony, Lee Byung-yoon, Chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee, said, “Congratulations on the designation of Seoul Subway Line 1 as a civil engineering cultural heritage,” and added, “Seoul Subway Line 1 is the origin and foundation of numerous urban rail lines currently operating in Korea, providing convenience of movement to countless passengers.”

Since its opening in 1974, Seoul Subway Line 1 has been the “citizens’ feet” for 50 years, symbolizing the development and growth of Seoul alongside its citizens. Moreover, the construction of Seoul Subway Line 1 was a major milestone in the advancement of Korean civil engineering. Thanks to the efforts of subway construction personnel at the time, special technologies and construction methods were devised and successfully applied, setting a standard for subsequent subway construction and forming the basis for the current Seoul subway lines extending throughout the metropolitan area.

The Korean Society of Civil Engineers designates civil engineering cultural heritage sites by considering the technological, socio-cultural, and economic contributions of social infrastructure facilities that are over 50 years old to promote the excellence of Korean civil engineering heritage. The first phase included the Gyeongbu Expressway and Soyanggang Dam, and the second phase selected Seoul Subway Line 1 and the Incheon Port Lock Gate.

President Baek Ho said, “We are honored that Seoul Subway Line 1 has been designated as a civil engineering cultural heritage on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Seoul subway this year,” and added, “Building on the achievements shown by Seoul Subway over the past 50 years, we will prepare Seoul Subway to serve citizens for the next 100 years.”

After the unveiling ceremony of the plaque, Lee Byung-yoon, Chairman of the Transportation Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (center), Baek Ho, President of Gongho Construction (right), and Choi Jin-seok, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Urban Infrastructure Headquarters (left), took a commemorative photo.