SEOUL – The Seoul city government has announced a series of plans to transform an abandoned railway maintenance factory in the central district of Yongsan into an international business district, including a 100-story skyscraper and skyscraper-linking SkyTrail. to build. centerpiece.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said at a press conference on February 5 that the government will transform the unused land near Yongsan Station into an “international business district that will become a new hub for global urban competitiveness and technological innovation.” Stated.
Under the plan, Seoul will develop approximately 500,000 square meters of land into the world's largest “vertical” city with vast green areas.
Mr. Oh emphasized, “There is no precedent for a development plan of this scale in any major city in the world.'' The area will be approximately 4.4 times the size of Hudson Yards, New York's largest mixed-use development.
The district is scheduled to be built by 2030, and companies will begin to move into the urban space of the future in the early 2030s. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025, and according to Mr. Wu, it will be reborn as a “compact city'' with a multifunctional urban area for work, leisure, and residence gathered within walking distance.
He said the plan was part of a broader project to make the city more pedestrian-friendly. Depending on the intended purpose, the district will be divided into three zones: international business, business complex and business support, his office added.
The city aims to build a 100-story skyscraper, which the mayor says will become a landmark in Seoul. For this reason, Seoul plans to allow a floor area ratio of 1,700%, which is the upper limit under current law. Amusement facilities such as an observation deck and an amusement park will be built on the top floor of the skyscraper to attract tourists.
The 45th floors of some buildings in Yongsan's business district will be connected to create a 1.1km-long sky trail that offers panoramic views of central Seoul. A concert hall, library and museum will be built on the basement level of this area.
In addition, green spaces, including large parks, will be provided as part of a wider project aimed at making the capital more livable. According to the plan, Yongsan Station will be connected to the Han River by a pedestrian path.
The roads will be moved underground and a total of 500,000 square meters of land will be covered with green space, Oh said.
Oh said, “The city plans to secure green spaces not only above ground, but also underground and in elevated areas covering underground roads, creating a huge green space comparable to the entire business district.'' Stated. He said.
For example, a park will be built that straddles part of Gangbyeon Expressway so that people can walk to Hangang Park and Nodeul Island. These areas are currently separated by highways and difficult to access on foot.
The district is also aiming to become a zero-carbon district. “By utilizing cutting-edge technology, this district will become a zero-carbon district,” Mr Orr said. “We plan to gradually restrict the operation of diesel locomotives with the introduction of new environmentally friendly transport methods.”
He added, “Seoul is already an attractive city that attracts many tourists from all over the world, but it will become one of the top-class attractive cities in the future.''
Prior to this, he was selected by the Japan-based Urban Strategies Institute for its ranking of major cities based on their “overall ability to attract people, capital, and businesses from around the world.” He vowed to raise the status of Seoul.
Seoul was ranked 7th out of 48 cities in the 2023 edition of the index. Oh said his goal is to move Seoul up to fifth place.
Once completed, the reconstruction project is expected to create 146,000 new jobs and generate an annual output of 32.6 trillion won (S$32.9 billion), according to city officials.Korea Herald/Asia News Network
