[Q&A]"Gwanghwamun Square, Had Tremendous Communication... Rather a Promise with Citizens"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is set to begin the restructuring of Gwanghwamun Square. The plan is to first expand and renovate the eastern road of the square, followed by a phased development of the western square. To minimize the anticipated traffic inconvenience, a 'Comprehensive Traffic Plan' consisting of 17 measures has been established and will be implemented. These include dispersing and rerouting concentrated traffic, improving traffic on nearby roads, adjusting city bus routes around Sejong-daero, and implementing flexible dispatching.

Seo Jung-hyup, Acting Mayor of Seoul, held a groundbreaking press conference for the new Gwanghwamun Square construction project at Seoul City Hall on the 16th, announcing the start of construction aimed at creating a "Gwanghwamun Square where people can rest and walk comfortably." The construction will consider both vehicle traffic and pedestrian flow, with expansion and renovation of the eastern road scheduled until February next year, followed by the creation of a "park-like square" from May to October next year.

Contrary to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's claim of "over 300 citizen communications over four years," civic groups such as the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice have argued that sufficient communication did not take place and have demanded a halt to the sudden project. In response, the city stated, "There was extensive communication with citizens, experts, and civic groups. Through this process, the plan was announced last September, and today we are announcing the groundbreaking. Rather, the project is a result of four years of communication and a promise to the citizens." They added, "The City Council also went through a rigorous review process. The council, representing the citizens, allocated the budget and finalized the plan after intense discussions, based on which we are announcing the eastern road construction plan today."

When asked why the restructuring is starting at a time when the mayor is absent, the answer was, "We are proceeding according to the procedures based on four years of discussions." Regarding the need for a larger square amid the limited use of Gwanghwamun Square for nine months due to COVID-19, they said, "We regret that Gwanghwamun Square has not been properly utilized for a long time due to COVID-19," and added, "We will prepare so that once the pandemic ends soon, citizens can use the square well."

The total budget for the Gwanghwamun Square restructuring was announced to be 79.1 billion KRW, reduced by about 18.9 billion KRW from the original budget. This reduction is attributed to modifications in the plan, including the construction of bypass roads.

The completion dates are planned for March next year for phase one and October next year for phase two. Concerns about winter construction were addressed by noting that the phase one eastern road construction, scheduled for winter, does not involve water-related work, so it is expected to proceed as planned. Regarding demands from civic groups to allow more time for traffic demand forecasting and congestion toll considerations, the city explained, "Even after reducing the three lanes connected to Gwanghwamun, traffic volume actually decreased. Since a total of nine lanes (four and a half lanes each way) will remain, there should be no major issues." They added, "We will avoid construction during peak commuting hours as much as possible to minimize inconvenience during the project. For traffic concerns, we have established and will implement measures in close communication with the police and experts to ensure smooth traffic flow." They further stated, "Regarding congestion tolls, we fully understand the concerns and are currently enforcing restrictions on grade 5 vehicles," but also noted, "Priority for vehicles by grade and differentiated tolls should be implemented considering the current social context."

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