Seoul City Mayor Oh Se-hoon, center, listens as city officials outline the city's redevelopment plan, titled ``Han River Renaissance Master Plan,'' in a briefing at City Hall Tuesday. /Yonhap

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

The Han River and its surrounding districts will undergo large-scale redevelopment. Included in the restructuring will be an international route, leading from the river to the West Sea and a dynamic array of ``waterfront towns,'' each having their own themes for promoting culture, business and tourism.

The plan, aptly titled, ``Han River Renaissance Master Plan,'' came about Tuesday as the Seoul Metropolitan Government detailed last year's initial city restructuring plan.

``Seoul lacks the image that can best represent the city,'' Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Tuesday during a news conference at City Hall. ``But we have the Han River. And to brand the city, we can develop it and its surrounding areas to solve such a problem. The city can then be transformed into a waterside city, better suited for tourism and culture.''

The plan is divided into two main themes _ restoration and creation.

The restoration focuses on the revival of the river's old functions as an ecological home for people and other creatures.

The creation aims to offer spaces for culture, business and tourism to the overcrowded city.

The plan includes the construction of an international terminal to link Seoul to major cities on a Han River-West Sea route in either Yongsan or Yeouido.

The city is seeking the cooperation with the central government for the blueprint on establishing a Han River-West Sea route, dubbed the ``Gyeongin Canal.''

The city will also designate eight areas around the river as a core-developing zone under the theme of ``Waterfront Town.'' They include Magok, Yongsan, Yeouido, Sangam and Jamsil.

The eight areas will allow people to visit the river and its parks without traffic difficulties or hindrances. The riverside highway roads will be reconstructed underground so that people can walk freely around the river, without having to worry about noise or danger.

The areas around the riverside have been mainly used for residential housing projects, but the eight areas will also serve as a Mecca for business and tourism with various facilities such as R&D institutes and cultural centers.

The massive redevelopment plan also includes improvement on scenic views of the Han River areas. The city will come up with general guidelines for the designs of buildings and construction on the areas and add more lighting fixtures on bridges to offer better night views of the city.

The plan will be fine-tuned through discussions with experts, the government's agencies and citizens and finalized within the year, the city said.

e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr