By Kim Ji-soo
Hotel Shilla’s plan to build a “traditional” business hotel has been put on hold again.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided to withhold President Lee Boo-jin’s plans to erect a four-floor traditional “hanok”-style hotel within the Jangchung-dong compound on the grounds that it might possibly conflict with some sections of the Seoul City Walls.
The eldest daughter of Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee came up with the ambitious plan to replace its existing duty free shop with the business hotel while building a new duty free shop on the parking lot area.
This is the third time that the plan has been halted. The scheme to add a business hotel and a new duty free shop in Jangchung-dong hotel area was the first project that Lee undertook after taking office as hotel president in 2010.
Management of the hotel saw the addition of a traditional business hotel as part of a strategy to diversify the hotel’s business, strengthen its brand image and to actively seek more foreign tourists.
The hotel presented its request both in August 2011 and July 2012, but was turned down by the SMG as certain requirements in the documents were not met.
The submission this time made it up to the Urban Planning Committee, whose members must approve before the plan can proceed.
“This committee comprised of experts and related officials decided to put the application on hold for few reasons including the need to coordinate whether the traditional business hotel might conflict with the remaining Seoul City Walls in Jangchung-dong,” said an official at the SMG.
The Seoul City Wall surrounding the old capital of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) was put on a tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 2012, currently pending registration on the final list. Many parts of the 18.6-kilometer fortress were destroyed when roads and buildings were constructed during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonialism of Korea. Since 1975, 12.7 kilometers of the 600-year-old wall have been restored, portions of which are situated in close proximity to the Hotel Shilla in Jangchung-dong.
The hotel’s plan for a traditional business hotel is different from the “Shilla Stay” brand, the first of which is expected to open in Dongtan, near Suwon, south of Seoul, at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Hotel Shilla will reopen on Aug. 1 as the major renovations undertaken since January are scheduled to be completed.