Gwangju City Launches Paldang Water Mist Park Project... Set to Become a Leading Ecotourism Destination in the Seoul Metropolitan Area by 2027

Gwangju City Launches Paldang Water Mist Park Renovation Project

Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on November 19 that it will officially proceed with the 'Paldang Water Mist Park Development Project' after years of preparation.

Aerial view of the 'Paldang Water Mist Park Development Project.' Provided by Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province

Paldang Water Mist Park, located in the Guyo-ri area of Namjong-myeon, was established in 2012 by the Seoul Regional Office of Land Management as part of the 'Save the Han River Project.' Since then, it has become a beloved destination for citizens and a leading tourist attraction in Gwangju City.

However, as time has passed since its creation, the park has suffered from aging facilities and a lack of amenities and attractions, resulting in decreased user satisfaction and ongoing calls for its renovation.

Reflecting these demands, the city was selected for Gyeonggi Province's 'New Gyeonggi Policy Contest 2019, Gyeonggi First' in 2019 and began to push forward with the renovation project. However, the project site was subject to overlapping regulations as it is designated as a development-restricted area, a water source protection zone, and a river area, making coordination with relevant agencies difficult. As a result, the groundbreaking was delayed compared to the original plan, causing inconvenience for users and complaints from citizens.

Nevertheless, through continuous consultation with relevant agencies and the completion of administrative procedures, the city finalized the urban management plan and park development plan (amendment) in October 2024. Subsequently, it obtained river use approval in July 2025 and development-restricted area activity approval in August 2025, thus completing all necessary permits and approvals. The city then issued a construction order for the park in November 2025, accelerating the project's progress.

The newly developed Paldang Water Mist Park will feature a variety of themed gardens, including a landscape botanical garden, an aquatic botanical garden, and a herb specimen garden. In addition, new facilities for citizens will be provided, such as a 'Fair Road' that separates pedestrian, bicycle, and personal mobility traffic, a barefoot walking path, a large circular plaza, a parking lot with 423 spaces, and floating restrooms.

With these improvements, the city aims to address the shortcomings of the existing facilities and transform Paldang Water Mist Park into a premier ecological tourism destination in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Meanwhile, the project is scheduled to begin construction in February 2026 and aims for completion in the first half of 2027.

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