Yeouido Park

In the middle of Yeouido, surrounded by the National Assembly, broadcasters and bank towers, a long strip of woodland crosses the island. Yeouido Park was created on land that had been an airfield and then a vast asphalt plaza, so a walk here is also a walk through a slice of Seoul's modern history. Office workers at lunch, cyclists and families at weekends all share it.

History: airfield, plaza, park

In 1924, under Japanese colonial rule, Yeouido Airfield opened on this site. It is regarded as the first airfield in Korea, and after liberation it served as an air force base from 1949. During the Han River development of the 1970s, the runway area was kept as May 16 Square, a huge asphalt plaza named by President Park Chung-hee after the 1961 coup he led. The square was completed in 1971 and first opened to the public for Armed Forces Day; it then hosted military parades, presidential inaugurations and mass rallies.

In May 1984 Pope John Paul II celebrated a mass on the square to canonise 103 Korean martyrs, including Father Andrew Kim Tae-gon. After 27 years under asphalt the square was turned back into green space and opened as a park in 1999; sources differ on whether the opening was in February or July of that year.

What to see

The park covers about 230,000 m² and runs north-east to south-west across the island.

• Korean Traditional Forest: a pavilion, a pond and native trees make this the quietest corner.
• Natural Ecological Forest and pond: wetland and woodland paths form a small wildlife area in the city.
• Lawn and Culture Square: broad lawns and paved areas for walking, cycling and events.
• C-47 exhibition: a vintage C-47 transport plane stands in the park as a reminder that this was an airfield.
• King Sejong statue and octagonal pavilion: other resting spots and monuments are spread through the park.

Nearby

A short walk north-west brings you to Yeouido Hangang Park on the river. In cherry blossom season, crowds of flower-viewers fill the whole of Yeouido. To the south, along the Saetgang stream, is Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park.

Good to know

The park is divided into four zones: the Natural Ecological Forest, the Lawn, the Korean Traditional Forest and the Culture Square. An ecological pond, small pavilions, a reflexology footpath, a giant national flagpole and an open-air stage are scattered through it, so the mood changes as you walk. Yeouido Hangang Park and the 63 Building are close by, making an easy half-day walk around Yeouido.

Tripto tips

• Cost and hours: free and open 24 hours. No dedicated park car park is listed, so use public transport.
• Getting there: walk from Yeouido Station (Lines 5 and 9) or Yeouinaru Station (Line 5).
• Time needed: about an hour for a loop; 2–3 hours if you continue to the riverside park.
• Best time: cherry blossom season and autumn. Blossom weekends are extremely busy across Yeouido, so aim for a weekday morning.
• Good to know: since December 2025, construction of the GTX-B Yeouido Station has been under way in front of the park, so some entrances may be congested. Some park programmes require advance booking.