₩19.2 billion to be invested in Namsan by 2031...360-degree observatory and ecological forest to be created

[Financial News] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will invest ₩19.2 billion by 2031 to make Namsan an ecological and tourism hub in the heart of the city. It will build a 360-degree observatory at the summit offering panoramic views of downtown Seoul and restore damaged forests and vegetation. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 12th that it had issued a notice of the “Urban Regeneration Plan for the Namsan Area.” The area covers approximately 3.11 million square meters around Namsan, Myeong-dong and Yejang Park, including Myeong-dong, Hoehyeon-dong, Pil-dong and Jangchung-dong in Jung District, as well as Huam-dong and Hannam-dong in Yongsan District.
The plan focuses on restoring Namsan’s ecological environment while strengthening its tourism and leisure functions. It comprises 15 projects across four areas—vitality, connectivity, recovery and experience—with a total of ₩19.2 billion to be invested by 2031 in eight catalyst projects.
First, the city will build the “Namsan Oreum 360 Observatory” at the summit, offering 360-degree views of downtown Seoul. It will upgrade eight key viewpoints and create themed walking trails and rest areas along the northern and southern circular roads, where visitors can enjoy the scenery in each season.
The city will also pursue ecological restoration to help Namsan recover its natural character. It will consolidate or close haphazardly formed side trails and restore damaged forests and vegetation. The plan is to create wildlife habitats and upgrade forest trails so that ecological conservation and public use can coexist in harmony.
The pedestrian environment connecting Myeong-dong and Namsan will also be improved. The city will upgrade walkways around Samil-daero, Toegyero, Myeongdong 8-gil and Myeongdong 9-gil, and improve four entrances to the Namsan themed trails and areas around Yejang Park. The aim is to draw visitors to Namsan into nearby commercial districts, including those in Hoehyeon-dong, Pil-dong and Jangchung-dong.
The Namsan gondola project is also included in the urban regeneration plan. The gondola will run for approximately 832 meters from Yejang Park near Myeongdong Station to the summit, and is designed to carry at least 1,600 people per hour. The Seoul Metropolitan Government expects it to improve access for people with mobility limitations, including wheelchair users, as its capacity will be at least three times that of the existing cable car.
Revenue from gondola operations will be reinvested in ecological restoration and improvements to the leisure environment through the “Namsan Ecology and Leisure Account” within the Urban Regeneration Fund.
However, construction of the Namsan gondola is currently halted amid related litigation, leaving it as a potential obstacle to the project. The Seoul Metropolitan Government says an alternative form of transportation is needed to address the existing cable car’s long-standing monopoly and guarantee mobility rights for people with mobility limitations. To that end, it has asked the government to amend the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Urban Parks and Green Areas, etc., easing height restrictions on rail facilities in urban natural park zones.
Of the eight catalyst projects, the largest allocation—₩3.91 billion—is for the Namsan Loop Forest Trail. This is followed by ₩3.71 billion for the 360-degree observatory and viewpoints, ₩2.83 billion for urban management of the area around the gondola, and ₩2.6 billion for seasonal landscaping along the circular roads.
After designating the Namsan area as an urban regeneration revitalization zone in October 2024, the Seoul Metropolitan Government finalized the plan following consultations with residents and relevant agencies.
Kang Seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Balanced Development Headquarters, said, “This revitalization plan is an important foundation for restoring Namsan’s natural environment and moving toward a sustainable ecological and leisure space. We will pursue a comprehensive effort, from ecological restoration to strengthening tourism and leisure, to make Namsan a global ecological and tourism hub that represents Seoul.”

[email protected] Seong Cho-rong Reporter