Gangnam-gu to Create a 'Healing Forest' in Daemosan Park Site

A 9,500㎡ Forest Damaged Site at Gaepo-dong 638-5 Next to Guryong Tunnel to Be Developed into a Neighborhood Park, Scheduled for Completion in November... Rapid Park Development Preparation to Prevent Loss as a Long-Term Unexecuted Park Site Due to the Urban Park Effectiveness System

Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) will begin full-scale construction from April to create a healing forest on a 9,500㎡ area of damaged forest land on the slopes of Daemosan Mountain (around 638-5 Gaepo-dong).

This site, located near the Guryong Tunnel on the slopes of Daemosan Mountain, had been used as farmland since before the Yeongdong Development in the 1970s. Although it was designated as an urban planning park facility by Seoul City in July 1977, the project had not been implemented for a long time. However, following a 1999 Constitutional Court ruling that introduced the urban park expiration system, the site faced the risk of disappearing as a long-unexecuted park.

The district office worked closely with Seoul City to quickly prepare for park development to save the site from disappearing and turn it into an urban park. Under the ‘Gangnam Healing Forest Creation (Phase 1)’ project, land compensation was completed in 2020, design services began in 2022, and a construction contract was signed last December. Construction will start next month and is scheduled to be completed by November.

The park is planned as a healing forest where visitors can enjoy nature by restoring the forest damaged by indiscriminate farming. It will be developed as a complex healing space featuring ▲a garden where seasonal plants can be enjoyed ▲a children’s forest adventure playground utilizing natural materials and terrain ▲a stage for cultural performances in the forest ▲a barefoot walking trail ▲and an observatory.

Meanwhile, the district plans to promote the ‘Gangnam Healing Forest Creation (Phase 2)’ project targeting another Daemosan farmland site (25,000㎡ near Ilwon Tunnel, 104-1 Gaepo-dong) with a goal of completion in 2025. Once the healing forest projects are completed, new leisure spaces are expected to emerge in the Gaepo-dong area, where population inflow has increased due to redevelopment and reconstruction projects.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, stated, “Last year, we improved 6 km of forest trails along the Daemosan ridge and created resting areas to make walking more enjoyable,” adding, “We will make the healing forest the best neighborhood park so that residents can enjoy Gangnam’s nature more closely.”

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