Seoul Station Overpass Blocked Off for Remodeling

The overpass next to Seoul Station was completely closed to car traffic on Sunday as part of the city government's plan to remodel it into an elevated park.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced Sunday the closure of the overpass, 45 years after it was first opened in 1970 as a major transport route for manufactured goods for a large number of merchants in and around Namdaemun Market. It was considered a symbol of Korea's 1960s-70s rapid industrialization.

However, safety concerns were raised over the old structure after it received the lowest possible rating in a safety inspection in 2012.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon plans to turn the 1.15-kilometer overpass into a rest area and tourist attraction similar to New York's High Line Park by 2017 with a total budget of 38 billion won.

According to SMG, motorists are now to take a detour using Yeomcheon Bridge north of Seoul Station, or the underpass located south near Sookmyung Women's University. Up to seven more minutes are expected to make the trip.

Police officers will be dispatched to help direct motorists to make correct turns, and a new bus route numbered 8001 passing near the station will be newly set up to help encourage citizens to use public transport.

The traffic control plans followed the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's official cooperation, after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approved the SMG's plan last month.

The ministry's determination followed a safety inspection conducted three years earlier, which concluded that the old structure poses a greater risk of collapse.

In the report, the ministry also said that no major traffic problems are expected once the overpass is turned into a...