After years of delay, Seoul is set to transform a section of the historic Sewoon Arcade into an urban park as part of a larger initiative to create a north-south green corridor through the heart of the city.
The project will begin with the creation of a temporary park covering approximately 5,670 square meters around the Sampoong Shopping Center area.
This phase is scheduled to break ground in the first half of 2026, following the completion of land compensation procedures. It marks the first tangible progress in the long-stalled initiative to revitalize the area since demolition work near Jongmyo Shrine in 2009.
The urban park development is a core part of Seoul’s “Green Ecological Downtown Re-creation Strategy”, unveiled in 2022.
The strategy aims to gradually dismantle the Sewoon Arcade blocks and convert approximately 50,000 square meters into green space, connecting Bugaksan, Jongmyo Shrine, and Namsan into a continuous ecological axis while providing residents and workers with a much-needed urban oasis.
The first-phase park will include open lawns, gardens, and benches, serving as a preliminary space before full integration with the adjacent PJ Hotel site, which is undergoing redevelopment. The second phase includes plans to incorporate a 1,500-seat musical theater beneath the park, positioning the site as a cultural landmark.
This announcement reactivates the city’s efforts to realize a “Green Ecological Downtown” and sets the stage for a broader transformation of the deteriorated Sewoon District into a vibrant area that blends business, culture, housing, and green space.
