Category: 영등포구(Yeongdeungpogu)

Hangang Park (Korean: 한강공원) is a park in Seoul, South Korea. It is made up of 12 parks, which is Gwangnaru Park, Jamsil Park, Ttukseom Park, Jamwon Park, Ichon Park, Banpo Park, Mangwon Park, Yeouido Park, Nanji Park, Gangseo Park, Yanghwa Park, and Seonyudo Park.

Hangang Park was built from 1982 to 1986, with the government’s launch of the Hangang River Development Project. The main goal of the project was to create an environmently friendly space that the citizens of Seoul, Koreans, foreigners and tourist can enjoy. While building the Hangang Park, a section of Hangang, 41.5km long and 39.9km2 large, turned into a river of 2.5m of average depth and 1km of average width. In 2007, the Hangang Renaissance Project was launched with the same goal, and will terminate in 2030. The project will transform the Hangang Parks and the areas around Hangang into a place of culture, art, leisure, and riverside cities. The main theme is creation and restoration, and each of the park area is designated a special theme that will be used as a basis to develop the park and surrounding area.

In Hangang Park, there is an abundance of sporting facilities such as soccer fields, skateboarding and in-line skating parks, tennis courts, hiking/biking trails, etc. There are also many swimming pools and many water-related sports such as water-skiing, yachting, boat racing, and fishing are available in the Hangang Park. In each park, many events and festivals are held for people to enjoy.

Yeouido Island is a large island on the Hangang River in Seoul, Korea. It is Seoul’s main finance and investment banking district. Its 8.4 square kilometers are home to some 30,988 people. The island is located in the Yeongdeungpo-gu district of Seoul, and largely corresponds to the precinct of Yeouido-dong. The island contains the National Assembly Building, where the National Assembly of South Korea meets, Korea Financial Investment Association, the large Yoido Full Gospel Church, the 63 Building, and the headquarters of LG, Korean Broadcasting System, and the Korea Exchange Center. Due mainly to its importance as a financial district and its central location, Yeouido is home to some of Seoul and South Korea’s tallest skyscrapers, including International Finance Center Seoul, the Federation of Korea Industries Tower, as well as the iconic 63 Building.

Located in the middle of Yanghwadaegyo Bridge, Seonyudo Park is the first ecological water park in Korea, repurposing a former water purification plant.

Built on area of 114,000㎡, the park consists of Water Purifying Botanical Garden, Aquatic Botanical Garden, an eco-friendly water playground, and more attractions where visitors can appreciate various aquatic plants and an ecological forest. There are also various things to see and areas to take a rest in the park, offering a great chance for visitors to learn about the ecosystem and to experience nature.

A pedestrian bridge connecting Seonyudo Island to the Yanghwa area is an ideal place to enjoy the beautiful views of the Hangang River, including the World Cup Fountain and World Cup Park. With colorful lights, the area is gaining popularity as a tourist spot to enjoy the nightscape near the Hangang River. An exhibition hall in the park displays photos of the Hangang River and has various convenient facilities including a computer room and restrooms.

Seonyudo (meaning “an island where Taoist hermits play”) Park was the nation’s first recycling park. It was created using the old sewage treatment facilities on Seonyudo Islet. From 1978 to 2000, the park-site was used as a sewage treatment plant to provide tap water to the southwestern part of Seoul. Seoul Metropolitan Government closed the plant down in Nov. 2000 and spent 16.4 billion won to turn it into a park, which opened in 2004. The park features the Hangang Exhibition Hall, which briefs visitors about the history of Hangang and its flora and fauna. The Water Purification Basin, the Garden of Time and the Ecological Water Playground are also all popular destinations of the park. Once you reach the park entrance you should then cross the footbridge called “Seonyugyo” (Seonyu Bridge) to get to the park. This wooden bridge, which was the first footbridge ever built to connect an islet on the river to the land, was constructed as a joint project with France. In the evening, lights projected onto the bridge produce beautiful reflections on the river’s surface explaining why this park is especially popular with couples. The small gardens of this park feature various seasonal flowers and plants all year long.