Seoul opens its first botanical garden
Workers put finishing touches on the garden at Seoul Botanic Park Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, Oct. 10, a day before its trial opening. / Yonhap
By Lee Suh-yoon
Seoul opened its first botanical garden in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, last week.
The garden, encased by a glass structure in the shape of a flattened dome, is surrounded by a large outdoor park — hence its name, the Seoul Botanic Park. Together, the indoor and outdoor sections cover 504,000 square meters, about the size of 70 soccer fields.
This is the first sizeable public park to be established south of the Han River in the western end of the city.
The first six months after the opening is a trial period focused on helping the plants properly settle into the soil, as well as collecting constructive feedback from visitors. The official opening event will take place next spring.
“We will open the park to visitors in a test run to accommodate citizens who have long awaited its realization,” Lee Won-young, the head of the park, said in a press statement. “We will use the feedback we get from this trial period to provide a satisfactory park service.”
The exterior of the flattened glass dome housing the plants at Seoul Botanic Park. / Yonhap
The indoor garden — covering about 7,500 square meters — will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The outdoor park will be accessible 24 hours a day.
The park will include small forests, a lake and wetlands. It currently has around 3,100 kinds of plants. Its goal is to eventually collect up to 8,000 plant species.
The indoor area includes a display of plants from 12 cities around the world and a skywalk through the garden's upper canopy. As with most other botanical gardens, the plants will be grouped by their local climate.
Concerts, markets, and fashion shows centered on environmental themes will take place during the weekends this month.
Last Friday through Sunday, the park hosted the Seoul Botanic Park Creator Festival which offered various programs including art exhibitions, social dining experiences and souvenir-crafting workshops. Small potted plants were also given to visitors.
A traditional pavilion at Seoul Botanic Park / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
From Thursday to Friday this week, the park will host an international symposium where citizens and botanical experts will discuss the future direction and operation of the park.
Seoul Botanic Park is a short walk from exit 3 of Magongnaru Station on subway Line 9 and the Airport Express Line.
No entrance fee will be charged during the trial opening period. Whether there will be one after six months has yet to be decided.
Visit botanicpark.seoul.go.kr for more information.