Seoul to spend $14 mil. to turn Mount Nam into eco-tourism hub by 2031
Summary
Seoul will invest 19.2 billion won through 2031 to restore Mount Nam’s forests and add attractions in central Seoul. The plan includes a gondola from Yejang Park to the summit, a 360-degree observatory and upgraded viewpoints. The gondola is on hold amid a lawsuit over a change to the city’s urban management plan. Seoul says the projects will improve access, restore the ecosystem and draw visitors to nearby neighborhoods.
Key Facts
- The plan covers about 3.11 million square meters and includes 15 projects across four areas, eight of which are early-stage projects.
- The proposed gondola would run about 832 meters and carry more than 1,600 passengers an hour, over three times the capacity of the existing cable car.
- The city says gondola operating profits would fund ecosystem restoration on the mountain.
- The city plans to close unauthorized hiking trails, restore damaged forests and plants, and create wildlife habitats.
- The existing cable car has been operated by the same private company since 1962. The city says a second option is needed to end what it calls a long-standing monopoly.
Mount Nam in central Seoul is blanketed in autumn foliage on Nov. 8, the same day the capital saw its first snowfall of the season. Yonhap
Seoul will spend 19.2 billion won ($14.2 million) through 2031 to restore forests on Mount Nam and build new attractions there, including a 360-degree observatory at the summit, the city government said Thursday.
Located in central Seoul, Mount Nam is one of the capital city’s best-known landmarks. The city formally announced an urban regeneration plan for Mount Nam and nearby areas, including the Myeong-dong shopping district and Yejang Park, on Thursday.
The plan covers about 3.11 million square meters and has 15 projects in four areas. Eight of them are early-stage projects meant to spur further development with the allotted funding.
A key part of the plan is a gondola that will run about 832 meters from Yejang Park, near Myeongdong Station, to the summit. It is designed to carry more than 1,600 passengers an hour, over three times as many as the existing cable car. The city said the gondola will make the summit easier to reach for wheelchair users and others with limited mobility. Its operating profits will go toward restoring the mountain’s ecosystem.
Construction of the gondola is on hold because of a lawsuit over a change to the city’s urban management plan. The existing cable car has been run by the same private operator since 1962. The city says a second option is needed to end what it calls a long-standing monopoly.
The plan also includes closing trails that hikers made without authorization, restoring damaged forests and plants, and creating wildlife habitats. The city will build the observatory, called Namsan Oreum 360, and upgrade eight other viewpoints. It will also add themed walking paths and seasonal scenery along the mountain’s ring roads.
The city also plans to improve walking routes from Myeong-dong to the mountain through Yejang Park. It hopes this will draw visitors into nearby neighborhoods such as Hoehyeon-dong, Pil-dong and Jangchung-dong.
"This revitalization plan serves as an important foundation for restoring Namsan’s natural environment and transforming it into a sustainable ecological and leisure space," said Kang Seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Balanced Development Headquarters. "By comprehensively pursuing initiatives ranging from ecological restoration to enhanced tourism and leisure offerings, we will develop Namsan into a premier global eco-tourism hub representing Seoul."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Explore More
- Q.
- Q.
- Q.