Namsan Opens Sky Trail... Reborn as a Barrier-Free Path for People with Mobility Challenges

'Barrier-Free Forest Trail' Opens for People with Mobility Challenges
Steep Slopes and Walkways Improved with Eco-Friendly Upgrades
Eight Viewpoints Installed for Immersive Experiences
Eco-Friendly Construction Minimizes Forest Damage

Namsan is now more accessible. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has created a 'barrier-free forest trail' so that people with mobility challenges, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly, can also climb Namsan. The 1.45-kilometer section connects the Huam-dong Namsan Fitness Center to the Namsan Library, offering views of not only the cityscape but also the Han River and Gwanak Mountain. As part of Mayor Oh Sehoon's initiative to 'walk alongside the vulnerable,' Seoul City has decided to focus on expanding infrastructure so that a diverse range of citizens can visit Namsan.

The 'Namsan Sky Forest Trail,' which opens on the 25th after improvements to the previously steep slopes and narrow walkways, is a barrier-free path with a stable elevation and gentle gradient.

The 'Sunset Observatory,' a scenic viewpoint within the 'Namsan Sky Forest Trail' created by the Seoul Metropolitan Government for pedestrians with mobility challenges. Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Government

This project was launched after Seoul City and the Korea Forest Service signed a 'Joint Forest Project Agreement.' The Korea Forest Service provided national forest land free of charge, while Seoul City covered the project costs. The goal is to create a sustainable forest policy model that manages and utilizes forests comprehensively, maximizing both forest conservation and the public benefits of national forests.

In line with this, Seoul City has installed eight viewpoints and eight attraction points throughout the trail, allowing visitors to walk, observe, rest, and experience everything in one place. The main viewpoint, 'Sunset Observatory,' is a sky-view photo zone that uses glass fencing to create an open, floating feeling. The 'Wind Observatory Bridge' also offers a unique perspective of the city with a backdrop of the metasequoia forest.

The entrances and exits have also been improved. At the Namsan Fitness Center, which is frequently used by citizens, a 'pergola-type outdoor fitness facility' has been installed to provide shelter from rain and wind, enhancing convenience for visitors. At the 'Pine Rest Area,' visitors can enjoy forest bathing, while the 'Health Garden' features a starlit marronnier forest and meditation and healing gardens to provide a sense of tranquility. The area around the Kim Sowol poetry monument (Sanyuhwa) at the entrance of Namsan Library has been transformed into 'Sowol Garden,' which incorporates the nature, emotion, and literature of Namsan.

Seoul City plans to make Namsan a global attraction based on the creation of the Namsan Forest Trail. The 0.5-kilometer southern circular road connection safety deck around the Octagonal Information Center and Fitness Center, as well as the 0.5-kilometer northern forest trail section from N Seoul Tower to the northern circular road, have already been completed.

Mayor Oh has also visited the site in person to explore ways to improve accessibility. During his visit in August, he said, "Namsan is one of Seoul's most iconic tourist attractions, visited by 11 million citizens and tourists every year. With its recent appearance in K-Pop Demon Hunters, even more domestic and international tourists are expected to visit," adding, "We will continue to find ways to improve accessibility."

Mayor Oh also emphasized minimizing the ecological and scenic impact on Namsan during the redevelopment process. The application of eco-friendly construction methods to the 'Sky Forest Trail' project, which reduced forest damage, aligns with this approach. The deck route was selected to preserve the natural terrain as much as possible, focusing on clearings without trees, and in areas with trees, structures were used for protection or the route was detoured. Manual labor was used during construction to minimize environmental damage, and waste and environmental impact were also kept to a minimum.

The lower part of the trail includes wildlife corridors to protect the existing ecological environment, while unauthorized side trails have been closed. By closing and restoring unused forest paths, the aim is both to protect the forest ecosystem and to guide visitors to use official trails.

In areas around the 'Sky Forest Trail' that were damaged by invasive vines and other threats, native Namsan trees and ground cover plants have been planted, and in the existing pine forest zones, young pine trees grown from seeds collected on Namsan have been added to restore the local vegetation. As part of the '365 Days of Tree Planting and Care' campaign to create a 'Companionable and Attractive Garden City, Seoul,' 400 pine trees were planted in cooperation with Jongno, Jung, and Yongsan Districts. In addition, trees damaged by heavy snow last winter were not discarded but safely stacked to create microhabitats and insect hotels. This area will be transformed into a representative eco-friendly healing space that contributes to resource circulation, carbon neutrality, and forest ecosystem protection.

Lee Sooyeon, Director General of Seoul's Garden City Bureau, said, "With the completion of the southern circular road connection safety deck and the northern forest trail in the first half of this year, and now the Namsan Sky Forest Trail in the second half, citizens and tourists can access Namsan more conveniently and safely," adding, "We will continue to expand various infrastructure so that we can fully return Namsan, a symbol of Seoul, to its citizens."

Seoul City has developed the 'Namsan Sky Forest Trail' as a barrier-free path for pedestrians with mobility challenges. Seoul City