Maeheon Citizen's Forest

Maeheon Citizen's Forest is the first park in Korea to introduce the concept of a forest, forming a dense woodland that is rare to see in the city center. It was created in 1986 to improve the environment around Yangjae Tollgate, which was then the gateway to Seoul, ahead of the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Olympics. The park is planted with 250,000 trees of 70 species, including pine, zelkova, maple, horse chestnut, and Korean nut pine. On the north side of Maeheon-ro, there are facilities such as the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall, a ground fountain, and a children's playground, making it a popular destination for families with children. The south side features the Memorial Tower for the White Horse Guerrilla Unit, the memorial tower for Korean Air Flight 858, which was bombed by North Korean terrorists over the Andaman Sea in 1987, a memorial tower erected to comfort the victims and families of the 1995 Sampoong Department Store collapse, and a memorial for the victims of the Umyeonsan landslide. In particular, Zone 3 of Maeheon Citizen's Forest has been developed by Seocho-gu as a cultural arts park, consisting of a play yard, an outdoor performance hall, various exhibition halls, a sculpture park, and a meeting plaza. Performances and exhibitions are held here, making it a new highlight of Seocho-gu, which prides itself on being a cultural autonomous district. This space, with its unique atmosphere in each area, is beloved by citizens.