Seoul triples pedestrian and rest space at Bank of Korea site

Move aims to ease crowding and safety concerns during peak gatherings

Fountain installed in 1978 to be relocated to Buk Seoul Dream Forest

A bird's-eye rendering of the planned plaza in front of the Bank of Korea after the fountain is relocated, showing its connection to the Book-Reading Seoul Plaza. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A bird's-eye rendering of the planned plaza in front of the Bank of Korea after the fountain is relocated, showing its connection to the Book-Reading Seoul Plaza. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

A large public plaza capable of holding about 7,000 people will be built on the site currently occupied by the fountain in front of the Bank of Korea in central Seoul. The existing fountain, installed in 1978, will not be demolished but relocated and restored at Buk Seoul Dream Forest.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that it will move the fountain and redevelop the site into a civic plaza suitable for walking, sightseeing, rest, performances and festivals.

The area already draws large crowds on a regular basis. It has gained a reputation among domestic and foreign tourists as a prime photo spot, thanks in part to the year-end countdown event and the media facade displayed on Shinsegae department store's main branch. The city and Jung-gu have also replaced the underground passage entrances and opaque railings in front of the Central Post Office with transparent tempered glass.

The redevelopment aims to create a space where residents and tourists can linger along the tourism corridor linking Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Namsan, while reducing crowding and safety risks when large crowds gather during the year-end holiday season.

At present, the fountain and level changes divide the area into narrow, fragmented pedestrian and viewing spaces with circulation routes running in multiple directions.

The city plans to remove the fountain, level differences and other obstacles to create a single, barrier-free plaza. The move will increase the site's capacity from roughly 2,300 people to 7,000 — about three times the current figure.

On ordinary days the space will serve as a place for residents and tourists to walk and rest; during events it will take on a variety of functions. The city envisions uses including an outdoor library, busking performances, K-pop concerts, a ground-level fountain, summer water play and a Christmas festival.

The city intends to develop the site into a downtown tourism hub where visitors can linger, taking advantage of its position linking Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Namsan. It will also be integrated with large-scale media content at the nearby Myeong-dong Square. The city's vision is to transform Myeong-dong from a place people simply pass through into one where they stay to enjoy performances and leisure, while extending the tourism circuit to Namdaemun Market and Namsan.

The existing fountain in front of the Bank of Korea will be moved to the east gate plaza of Buk Seoul Dream Forest. The structure — 12 meters tall and 30 meters in diameter — will be dismantled, after which aging concrete and surface materials will be repaired and restored before it is reinstalled.

Construction begins this month. The fountain will be dismantled and placed in temporary storage, and the existing site will first be leveled and opened as a temporary plaza by year's end. Full construction of the permanent plaza and the relocation of the fountain to Buk Seoul Dream Forest are scheduled for completion by the first half of next year, following expert consultation.

The project is being carried out under a corporate social responsibility agreement among the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Jung-gu and Shinsegae. Shinsegae will cover the full project cost, the city will provide the site for the fountain's relocation, and Jung-gu will operate and manage the plaza once it is complete.

"We will expand the space to ease congestion during the year-end period when crowds peak, and create a plaza where residents and tourists can walk, rest and enjoy culture," said Choi Jin-seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Disaster and Safety Management Office. "The fountain will also live on through restoration and relocation rather than demolition."


ken@heraldcorp.com