SOUTH KOREA Seoul redesigns itself for tourists, but sacrifices history

Mayor Oh Se-hoon launched an urban program that aims to increase the global attractiveness of the capital following the model of European cities. Among the poles that want to be regenerated is the island of Nodeul, on which the Hangang bridge rests. But, according to many Koreans, it risks destroying a significant part of the cultural heritage of the urban fabric.

Seoul () – What makes a city memorable? Its buildings, its monuments and the air that is breathed, some would say. The Seoul municipal government no doubt thinks so too, as last week it unveiled a plan to transform the look of the South Korean capital.

During the presentation, the mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon, elected in 2021 but who had previously headed the municipal administration, stated that the South Korean capital “is already an attractive city that attracts many tourists from all over the world, but it will become one of the most attractive cities” in the world. This plan is actually an updated version of the Han River Renaissance Project, a capital redevelopment proposal promoted by Oh himself in 2006 to transform Seoul’s riverfront areas.

The project presented by Oh last week foresees the urban regeneration of some of the city’s nerve centers to make Seoul a greener, more livable and touristic place. One of them would be nodeul island, on which Hangang Bridge rests. The island, which is currently home to a cultural center, should be embellished with new facilities, including a new pedestrian bridge and a floating concert stage. Renovation works are expected to start already next year.

However, Nodeul will not be the only reference point in the capital. The municipal government has other projects planned to change the face of Seoul. In addition to the opening of new green spaces in the city, the mayor proposed the construction of a giant Ferris wheel that could surpass the London Eye in size. The source of inspiration for the redevelopment of Seoul they would be, precisely, the European cities that Oh visited last year. “By looking at the fascinating, unique and symbolic structures [de estas ciudades]I came to think that there are regulations in Seoul that prevent attractive architectural design,” he said.

The municipal government already began to get its hands on urban planning plans in January, when it approved a parameter review that architects must follow when constructing new buildings. Innovation in urban design is at the core of this Seoul regeneration plan, but not everyone agrees. According to a growing number of South Koreans, the redevelopment of certain areas is, in fact, is destroying an important part of the cultural and historical heritage of the urban fabric, hopelessly erasing some of the characteristic features of Seoul’s identity.

However, the mayor doesn’t seem to care too much about this criticism, instead engaging in a powerful security operation. rebranding From the capital. With this project, Oh intends to climb positions in the Global Power City Index, a classification of 48 cities ordered according to their ability to attract people, capital and companies from around the world. In the 2022 edition of the index, Seoul ranks seventh, but Oh is aiming for fifth.