The Seoul Metropolitan Government, in response to a corrective request from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, held a meeting to a...
A rendering of the ‘Garden of Gratitude’ that the Seoul Metropolitan Government is creating in Gwanghwamun Square. Provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government The Seoul Metropolitan Government, in response to a corrective request from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, held a meeting to amend the district unit plan for the creation of the ‘Garden of Gratitude’ at Gwanghwamun Square, but it turned out the session proceeded by asking only about evacuation routes, with no other debate or discussion.
The city also went through a procedure to solicit residents’ opinions regarding the change to the district unit plan, but not a single opinion was submitted. Critics say the city observed the formalities but pushed ahead hastily without proper opinion gathering. According to the ‘Minutes of the 4th 2026 Seoul Urban Architecture Joint Committee’ obtained on the 5th from the city by the office of Rep. Cheon Jun-Ho of the Democratic Party of Korea, who sits on the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, on the 12th of last month an agenda item was brought forward titled the ‘Sejong-ro District Unit Plan Decision ’, to designate part of the underground space of Gwanghwamun Square as a cultural facility in order to install the Garden of Gratitude space. This was a follow-up measure after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issued a stop-work order on the Garden of Gratitude on the 3rd of last month. The ministry had earlier pointed out that the city violated the ‘National Land Planning and Utilization Act ’ by installing an exhibition facility in the underground area of Gwanghwamun Square, which is a road and plaza, without designating it separately as an urban planning facility. The minutes show that 14 committee members attended the meeting, including Seoul city officials, Seoul city council members, and urban/architecture experts. First, a working-level city official explained, “We are creating a space to express gratitude for the sacrifices of UN veterans, and in order to clarify the function of the space and ensure its public character, we seek to amend the district unit plan to designate it as a cultural facility under urban planning facilities.” Prime Minister Kim Min-seok surveys the site, to the right of the statue of King Sejong in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, where the ‘Garden of Reflection’ will be located, on November 17 last year. Lee Jun-heon, reporter There was no explanation whatsoever regarding the background, such as the stop-work order from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Regarding the 14-day public inspection notice that must precede a change to urban planning facilities, the responsible official also reported, “There were no residents’ opinions.” At the meeting, only one of the 14 members spoke: the head of the Urban Space Headquarters of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, who served ex officio as chair on behalf of the absent Second Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs. He asked, ‘How will evacuation response be handled?’ and ‘Has it been reviewed and found that there are no major safety problems?’ The responsible official gave a brief reply to the effect that there was ‘no problem’. The chair then asked, “I would like to pass this item as originally drafted; are there any objections?” Several answered, “None.” The item was swiftly approved as submitted. Observers say the process of hearing residents’ opinions was also merely formal. Although the notice of inspection was posted from February 25 to March 11, opinions had to be submitted in writing. The notice period was short, and the setup did not make it easy for ordinary citizens to submit opinions. Seoul completed the public inspection notice by the 11th of last month, held the meeting the next day, and promulgated the decision the very next day, the 13th. The procedures for drafting and public notice of the concrete implementation plan were also completed by the 18th. It was ‘rapid-fire’ administration. Rep. Cheon said, “The entire deliberation consisted of a conversation between a senior official serving ex officio as committee chair and the team leader,” and pointed out, “As Seoul rushed through the procedures to change the urban management plan and the implementation plan like lightning, not even a single resident opinion was received.” Seoul is pursuing construction of the Garden of Gratitude to express thanks and respect to the countries that participated in the Korean War. On the ground level of Gwanghwamun Square, 23 stone sculptures symbolizing Korea and the 22 participating nations will be installed in a ‘present arms’ formation, and underground a media exhibition space will be created. The plan is to finish installing the ground sculptures within this month and to complete the underground space by the middle of next month.
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