Full-Scale Park Development in Sewoon District Begins... Convenience Survey Starts for Sampung Sangga and Others

Sewoon Shopping Complex, Sampung Shopping Complex, and PJ Hotel Selected for Urban Park Development Project
Comprehensive Review of Project Costs through Economic and Financial Feasibility Study
Acceleration of Renovation for Remaining Shopping Complexes... Aiming for the Largest Green Space in the City Center

Preliminary work to develop the Sewoon District in the Euljiro area of Seoul into a high-density zone is set to begin. This involves converting the section from Sewoon Shopping Center near Jongmyo to Jinyang Shopping Center on Toegye-ro into a park. The feasibility study will start with the Sampoong Shopping Center and PJ Hotel (formerly Pungjeon Shopping Center) sites, which are designated as urban planning facility parks within the shopping complex.

On the 25th, according to Seoul city officials, the Seoul Institute, under the city government, has begun a benefit survey for the creation of an urban park at the Sampoong Shopping Center (158 Euljiro) and PJ Hotel (71 Mareunnae-ro), both included in the Sewoon Shopping Center complex.

The Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District in Jongno-gu, Jongno 3-ga-dong, was designated in 2006 and included in the integrated development plan for the Sewoon Shopping Center area in 2009. However, since 2014 during the previous mayor’s administration, progress stalled due to a focus on urban regeneration. After Mayor Oh Se-hoon took office, efforts were made to activate private redevelopment and transform the area into a green ecological urban center through plan changes. In March, the 'Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District Redevelopment Promotion Plan Amendment' targeting the Sampoong Shopping Center and PJ Hotel sites passed the Urban Redevelopment Committee.

Accordingly, the city decided to conduct a preliminary feasibility study on the project through the Seoul Institute. The target area is the planned upper park site (11,392㎡), which includes infrastructure, landscaping, and recreational facilities. The plan also includes constructing a dedicated musical theater with a total of 1,500 seats underground.

In particular, this survey will review the overall project plan and assess its economic and financial feasibility. The goal is to evaluate benefits such as the expected project cost and use the data as a foundation for smooth development of the Sewoon District. The city plans to accelerate the redevelopment of the remaining shopping complexes starting with the Sampoong Shopping Center and PJ Hotel sites. Once the section from Sewoon Shopping Center to Toegye-ro is completed, a large green space exceeding 13,000㎡ will be created in the heart of Seoul.

During the shopping complex redevelopment process, the elevated pedestrian walkway built during the previous mayor’s term is likely to be removed. Currently, a 350-meter-long walkway connects the remaining shopping centers around Sewoon Shopping Center and Cheonggyecheon.

The other shopping centers, including Sewoon Shopping Center, Cheonggye Shopping Center, Daerim Shopping Center, Inhyeon Shopping Center, and Jinyang Shopping Center, are also scheduled for demolition. The city is discussing a plan to receive land donations from the project operators where the shopping buildings will relocate, and then integrate the sites and shopping centers for future development. The rest of the Sewoon District surrounding the shopping complexes will be filled with residential and office facilities, and incentives such as zoning upgrades are expected to be provided during this process.

However, it is expected to take considerable time to address the operational continuity and alternative spaces for the small-scale manufacturing businesses concentrated in the metal, printing, and electrical sectors in the Euljiro area. According to recent data released by the Seoul Institute, as of 2020, the Sewoon District houses 8,973 businesses employing 28,498 workers. Printing businesses alone account for 60% of all printing companies in Seoul located in the Sewoon District.

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