Gwanak-gu Nambusunhwan-ro Area Streets to Become Cleaner

Revitalizing Pedestrian-Centered Streets with Street Vendor Improvements, Undergrounding Projects, and Street Greenery Creation... Expecting Pleasant Walking Environments and Thriving Alley Markets in Harmony with Local Merchants

Street Vendor Regulation Around Seoul National University Entrance Station

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The area around Nambusunhwan-ro in Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is being reborn with a pleasant and clean appearance.

The district is promoting pedestrian-centered street development projects such as street vendor improvements, undergrounding of power lines, creation of roadside green spaces, and installation of sculptures to create a pleasant walking environment and revitalize the local commercial district.

First, unauthorized street stalls around Sillim Station and Seoul National University Entrance Station, which caused pedestrian inconvenience and harmed the urban landscape, have been organized and transformed into street vendors harmonized with the streetscape.

In May, 21 locations around Sillim Station and in September, 19 locations around Seoul National University Entrance Station underwent replacement and maintenance of a total of 40 street vendor stalls this year.

Along with street vendor improvements, environmental maintenance projects such as repairing old sidewalks and curbs, installing safety fences, and planting flower beds and trees have created pedestrian-friendly streets where anyone wants to use the street vendors.

In particular, the district successfully completed the pedestrian environment improvement project through coexistence and cooperation among residents, street vendors, and merchants, setting a model example.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “Since the street vendor project proceeds through consultations and discussions among stakeholders, every stage required painstaking efforts,” and added, “I hope it will be reborn as a win-win model realizing the value of coexistence among street vendor merchants, local merchants, and citizens.”

The undergrounding project of electric and communication lines is also underway along a 2.22 km section on the east and west sides of Gwanak-ro (Bongcheon Intersection to Bongcheon Hill), a major arterial road in Gwanak-gu. In cooperation with Korea Electric Power Corporation and telecommunication companies, a total of 17.3 billion KRW is being invested to underground utility poles and communication poles that obstruct pedestrian paths, relocate and replace signboards, and maintain the entire sidewalk section.

The undergrounding project on the west side is scheduled to be completed by the end of November, and the east side section will finish conduit installation and sidewalk maintenance by the end of this year, with the undergrounding project planned to be completed by June next year.

Along approximately 5 km of Nambusunhwan-ro (Sillim Station to Sadang Station) and about 3 km of Gwanak-ro (Bongcheon Hill to Seoul National University Main Gate), existing central medians and insufficient roadside tree plantings have been supplemented and planters installed so residents can enjoy the changes of seasons and beauty.

Additionally, sculptures have been installed on Sharosugil (Gwanak-ro 14-gil) near Seoul National University Entrance Station, which has recently emerged as a “hot place,” to revitalize the alley commercial district and improve the urban landscape. At night, LED lights that change colors moment by moment and 3D hologram lighting displays express Gwanak-gu’s innovation and evolving image.

The district plans to add various conceptual attractions such as promotional sculptures and LED floor lighting to make Sharosugil a vibrant hot spot in Seoul’s alley commercial districts.

Mayor Park Jun-hee stated, “Through more systematic pedestrian environment creation and management, including improvements to aging street vendors, disorderly streetscape, and roadside green space projects, we will create a clean living space in Gwanak where even the smallest street spaces become residents’ resting places, and a cooperative economy in Gwanak where alley commercial districts thrive.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.