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City gov’t to develop underground space in central Seoul

September 23, 2016

SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Yonhap) — The Seoul city government said Thursday it has decided to develop an underground space under the downtown area that will connect major buildings and create a better pedestrian environment.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said some 31,000 square meters near city hall will be developed in collaboration with the private sector and will connect 12 nearby subway stations and over 30 buildings.

In the newly created underground area, a wide range of public and commercial facilities will be placed, the metropolitan government said.

“Though there have been cases of individual buildings being connected to underground pedestrian passageways, this is the first time that dozens of skyscrapers will be connected together,” a city official said.

The project was first proposed by some private enterprises which had a plan to reconstruct their buildings in the area, according to the city government.

The construction is slated to begin in 2020, with the aim of being completed in 2025.

An estimated 1 trillion won (US$905 million) will be injected into the project by private companies, according to the city government.

This artist's rendering, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sept. 22, 2016, shows what the underground space connecting major buildings and subway stations in central Seoul will look like when completed. Construction is estimated to begin in 2020 and complete by 2025, the city government said.

This artist’s rendering, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sept. 22, 2016, shows what the underground space connecting major buildings and subway stations in central Seoul will look like when completed. Construction is estimated to begin in 2020 and complete by 2025, the city government said.