Seoul City Renovates 'Maeul Madang' Equivalent to 25 Soccer Fields Over 8 Years... 18 Sites to Become Green Rest Areas This Year

by Lim Chulyoung

Published 18 Mar.2021 07:11(KST)

Renovation of 187 Aging 'Maeul Madang' Sites Across Residences Over 8 Years
Repairing Old and Hazardous Play, Rest, and Exercise Facilities and Planting Trees

Dapsimni-dong Village Square in Dongdaemun-gu (After Development)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 18th that it has completed the maintenance of 187 "Maeul Madang" (village yards) across Seoul over eight years from 2013, starting with the "Maeul Madang Maintenance Project," through 2020. The scale is equivalent to 25 soccer fields (180,000㎡), and Seoul plans to convert 18 more sites into green rest areas this year.

Seoul City has renovated old and inconvenient or hazardous playground and rest facilities (such as pavilions and benches) and exercise equipment, while also planting trees to expand green spaces.

This year, Seoul plans to complete maintenance from April to October on 18 "Maeul Madang" sites (covering 19,520㎡) in 10 autonomous districts. A total budget of 1.9 billion KRW, including 500 million KRW from the citizen participation budget, will be invested. The 18 sites include Mok 4-dong Maeul Madang in Yangcheon-gu, Dongsan Maeul Madang in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Dumugae Maeul Madang in Seongdong-gu, Bonghwa Baeul Madang in Jungnang-gu, Jangwi 3-dong Maeul Madang in Seongbuk-gu, Sanggye 2-dong Maeul Madang in Nowon-gu, Dunggeulle Maeul Madang in Seodaemun-gu, Bangbae-dong Maeul Madang in Seocho-gu, Tancheonbyeon Jebang Shelter in Songpa-gu, and Baekseok Maeul Madang in Gangseo-gu.

Seoul City plans to renovate aging playground and rest facilities and repair damaged floors and bricks to ensure safe use. Additionally, 30,000 trees of 113 species, including Ipapnamu (white fringe tree), magnolia, and sansuyu (cornelian cherry), which reduce fine dust and produce beautiful flowers, will be planted.

Choi Yoon-jong, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Green City Bureau, said, “We will continue to gather citizen opinions and monitor to ensure that ‘Maeul Madang’ becomes a healing space for citizens in urban areas lacking green spaces. We hope that anyone can relax with nature in ‘Maeul Madang’ close to residential areas. Especially, we expect it to bring vitality and emotional stability to daily life exhausted by COVID-19.”