Seoul City to Establish Integrated Development Plan for the Area
Aging Facilities Increase Inconvenience for Local Residents
Development Expected to Accelerate Alongside Mokdong Redevelopment
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is considering transforming Mokdong Stadium in Yangcheon-gu into a "sports complex." Since its completion in 1989, the stadium has been criticized for its aging facilities and poor accessibility, resulting in low utilization by local residents.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on October 13, the city will soon complete a service to establish the master plan for the integrated development of Mokdong Stadium and the adjacent water retention basin, and will prepare a detailed development plan.
Mokdong Stadium consists of Mokdong Baseball Stadium, Mokdong Main Stadium, and an ice rink. Currently, the stadium hosts second division professional soccer league matches and high school baseball games, but there have been ongoing complaints that remodeling is needed due to issues such as lighting and noise pollution.
In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government set the development direction for Mokdong Stadium and the water retention basin site in May 2024 and launched a service to establish a basic concept and plan. The target area covers Mok-dong 914 and 915 in Yangcheon-gu, with a total area of 274,588 square meters-almost twice the size of COEX in Gangnam-gu (148,784 square meters).
The city is focusing on upgrading sports facilities and creating parks, taking into account local demand. Upgrading the sports facilities may involve building new stadiums or partially remodeling existing ones. The city is also considering the construction of convention facilities that can host performances and exhibitions, as well as sales and business facilities and park development. Previously, in 2023, the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Balanced Development Committee discussed a direction that would encompass a large-scale convention center, hotel, and sports facilities.
The local district government is also strongly committed. In 2023, at the "Southwestern Region Balanced Development Plan Forum," Yangcheon-gu proposed a development plan to remodel Mokdong Stadium into a dome stadium and to install a multi-purpose parking facility and tennis courts on the water retention basin site.
There are currently no MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) facilities in southwestern Seoul, and Mokdong is geographically advantageous as it is located on the route from Gangnam to Incheon International Airport. It is also close to Anyangcheon, which could align with Mayor Oh Se-hoon's waterfront development plans. Recently, Mayor Oh visited the Mokdong Complex 6 reconstruction area and emphasized that, through fair management, the project period could be shortened to as little as seven years. As a result, the integrated development of Mokdong Stadium and the nearby water retention basin could also accelerate.
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