Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award
Jongno-gu Achieves Unique Honor of Winning for 12 Consecutive Years
Jongno-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Chung Moonheon) announced on July 16 that it had received the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award at the "2025 Korea City Award" hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on July 15. With this, Jongno-gu became the only local government in the country to win the City Award for 12 consecutive years.
The City Award is a prestigious honor given to outstanding local governments based on a comprehensive evaluation of urban policies, including sustainability and the quality of urban infrastructure. This year, 14 institutions were selected from among 226 local governments nationwide, across four categories: urban regeneration, response to population decline, response to climate change, and smart cities.
Jongno-gu received high marks for its "Bukchon Special Management Area Designation" policy, which was the first of its kind in the country to protect residents' right to reside. On July 1 last year, the district designated the Bukchon area as a special management zone, and from November 1, officially implemented a "visitor time restriction" system that limits tourist entry to the Red Zone (a priority residential protection area) to between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Since March 1 this year, a fine of 100,000 won has been imposed on tourists who visit outside the designated hours for sightseeing purposes. In addition, starting this month, the district began a pilot program restricting chartered bus traffic on major roads, aiming to establish a pedestrian-oriented tourism order and protect residents' living spaces.
Although repeated on-site guidance was necessary in the early stages of the policy, both tourists and the travel industry now highly support the initiative and voluntarily comply with the designated visiting hours. According to the district, there have been no cases of fines being imposed, indicating a high level of understanding and cooperation with the policy's intent.
District Mayor Chung Moonheon stated, "We have continuously worked to transform Bukchon into a pedestrian-oriented space rather than a vehicle-centric one, and to create a sustainable model where residents' lives and tourism coexist in harmony. I am delighted that our efforts have been recognized externally through this award, and we will continue to implement meaningful policies that residents can truly feel, making Jongno an even better place to live."
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