Jongno-gu: "Gwanghwamun Square to Become a Landmark on Par with New York's Times Square"

Signal for the Installation of a Large Electronic Billboard on the 'KT WEST Building'
Launching the Downtown Media Landmark Project

Jongno-gu, Seoul announced on July 7 that it began construction on July 5 to install a large electronic billboard on the 'KT WEST building' in Sejong-ro, with plans to develop Gwanghwamun Square into a leading media hub in downtown Seoul.

Once the installation of the billboard is completed at the KT WEST building, which serves as the core location for this project, it is expected to become a media and advertising landmark comparable to New York's Times Square or London's Piccadilly Circus.

KT WEST building electronic billboard bird's-eye view. Provided by Jongno-gu.

Gwanghwamun Square is being promoted as the second phase of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Free Signage Zone project, covering approximately 221,815 square meters around Gwanghwamun Square and Sejong-daero, from January 2023 to December 2033.

The project focuses on installing advanced advertising media and media poles on a total of nine buildings within the area, including the KT WEST building, Kyobo Life Building, Dong-A Ilbo Building, Ilmin Museum of Art, and Koreana Hotel.

The main goal is to transform Gwanghwamun Square into a 'Plaza of Light' that introduces Korea's history and traditions to the world. The public-private joint council will raise public contributions to produce and broadcast public-interest content, and plans are also in place to hold a 'media festival' and create a 'media art street.'

Jongno-gu completed the structure construction notification on July 4 and began installing the billboard on July 5. Completion is scheduled for the end of August. The billboard will be approximately 21 meters high, 94 meters long, and cover an area of about 1,977 square meters, making it the second largest after the Kyobo Life Building billboard.

In addition to providing visual attractions, it is expected to play a significant role in revitalizing the local commercial district. As the first digital billboard within the Gwanghwamun Square area, it signals the official launch of the downtown media landmark project.

Jung Moonheon, head of Jongno-gu, stated, "With the installation of this billboard, we will expedite the architectural committee's review and successfully lead the development of Gwanghwamun Square," adding, "We will do our utmost to create a national media hub that attracts attention from people around the world."

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