Seoul redesigns itself for tourists but sacrifices history
Mayor Oh Se-hoon has launched an urban planning programme that aims to increase the capital's global appeal on the model of European cities. Among the poles to be regenerated is Nodeul Island, home to the Hangang Bridge. But according to many Koreans it risks destroying an important part of the cultural heritage of the urban fabric.
Seoul (AsiaNews) - What makes a city memorable? Its buildings, sights and atmosphere, some would say. Seoul's municipal government certainly thinks so too, as last week it unveiled a plan to transform the urban aspect of the South Korean capital.
During the presentation, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who was elected in 2021 but previously headed the municipal administration, said 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 proposed re-planning of the capital promoted in 2006 by Oh himself to transform Seoul's riverfront areas.
The project unveiled by Oh last week envisages the urban regeneration of some of the city's focal points to make Seoul a greener, more liveable and more tourist-friendly place. One of these would be Nodeul Island, on which the Hangang Bridge rests.
The island, which currently houses a cultural centre, should be enhanced with new facilities, including a new pedestrian overpass and a floating concert arena. Renovation work is expected to begin as early as next year.
Nodeul, however, will not be the capital's only new landmark. 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 has proposed the construction of a giant Ferris wheel that could surpass the London Eye in size.
The source of inspiration for the re-planning of Seoul would be the European cities, which Oh visited last year. 'Looking at [their] fascinating, unique and symbolic structures, I came to think that in Seoul there are regulations in the way of attractive architectural design,' he said.
The municipal government has already started to get its hands on the city's master plans, when in January it approved a revision of the parameters to be followed by architects when constructing new buildings. Innovation in city design is at the heart of this regeneration plan for Seoul, but not everyone agrees.
According to a growing number of South Koreans, the re-planning of certain areas is in fact destroying an important part of the cultural and historical heritage of the urban fabric, irreparably erasing some of the characteristic features of Seoul's identity.
The mayor, however, does not seem to care too much about these criticisms, pursuing instead a mighty operation of rebranding the capital. With this project, Oh intends to climb the Global Power City Index, a ranking of 48 global cities ordered according to their ability to attract people, capital and businesses from around the world. In the edition of the index published in 2022, Seoul is ranked seventh, but Oh aims to be fifth.
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