Seoul Accelerates First 'Covered Park' Project, Key to Han River Waterfront Restructuring

Preparatory Steps for Banpo Covered Park River Use Permit
Follow-up Actions Begin After Han River Office Approves Covered Park Installation
Permit Application to Follow Design, Review, and Documentation Process

The first covered park project in Seoul, connecting residential areas with the Han River, is gaining momentum. Following the removal of restrictions on installing facilities along the Han River last year, additional design work has begun to obtain river use permits. The covered park is a key component of Seoul City's Han River waterfront restructuring initiative.

According to the maintenance industry on January 21, the reconstruction association for Banpo Jugong Complex 1 (sections 1, 2, and 4) in Seocho-gu, Seoul, has started preparing detailed design plans and construction documents for the riverside covered park, which will be built through a donation and contribution method. Before the main construction can begin, a river use permit must be obtained from the Han River Basin Environmental Office, and these documents are required for the review process.

A bird's-eye view of the riverside covered park to be built in Banpo Jugong Complex 1, Seocho-gu, Seoul, through a donation and contribution method. Seoul City

The Han River covered park is a public facility that Seoul City has encouraged to be installed in reconstruction and redevelopment complexes through donation and contribution, aiming to improve citizens' access to the Han River. Banpo Jugong Complex 1 is the first project site, and similar covered parks are being planned in Apgujeong District 3, Seongsu Strategic Maintenance Zone, and Yongsan International Business District.

At the start of the project, Seoul City faced conflicts with the Han River Office. To install facilities such as covered parks or three-dimensional pedestrian bridges in the Han River, which is designated as a national river zone, a river use permit from the Han River Office is required. However, the Han River Office judged that the benefits of the covered park would be concentrated on specific apartment residents, making it difficult to recognize as a public facility, and also raised concerns about safety management, such as flood risk. Subsequently, Seoul City made several revisions, and by the end of last year, the Han River Office effectively allowed the installation of the covered park.

In response, the association immediately began administrative procedures to obtain the river use permit. After receiving Seoul City's review of the "Park Construction Plan," which includes the basic design, the association recently completed the public viewing for residents. An official from Seocho-gu stated, "Now, only the river use permit remains. Once the related documents are prepared, consultations to obtain the permit will begin."

According to the original plan, the Banpo-dong covered park will be built over Olympic-daero, connecting the reconstruction site to Banpo Hangang Park, with a total project cost of 110 billion won and a size of 10,000 square meters. The international design competition has also been completed. Gardens, trails, and walking paths connecting Sinbanpo-ro and Hangang Park are planned. The main construction is expected to begin immediately after the river use permit is issued.

The maintenance industry expects that, starting with Banpo Jugong Complex 1, other covered park projects will also proceed smoothly. The covered park planned for Seongsu-dong is expected to be the largest, about seven times the size of the Banpo-dong covered park, and will be built over Gangbyeonbuk-ro between Seoul Forest and Ttukseom Hangang Park. A Seoul City official stated, "Beginning with the Banpo-dong covered park, each project site is expected to start the process of obtaining river use permits in succession. As the approach to installing facilities along the Han River has changed, consultations with the Han River Office are also expected to proceed quickly."