Autonomous district in Seoul, South Korea
Autonomous District in Sudogwon, South Korea
A sketch of the Seodaemun (Great West Gate) around 1894.
Seodaemun District
(
Korean
:
西大門區
,
romanized
:
Seodaemun-gu
, "Great West Gate") is one of the 25
districts
of
Seoul
,
South Korea
.
Seodaemun has a population of 313,814 (2010) and has a geographic area of 17.61
km
2
(6.8
sq mi
), and is divided into 14
dong
(administrative neighborhoods). Seodaemun is located in northwestern Seoul, bordering the city districts of
Eunpyeong
to the northwest,
Mapo
to the southwest,
Jung
to the southeast, and
Jongno
to the east.
Seodaemun is part of the
Seongjeosimni
(Outer old Seoul) area and is named after
Donuimun
, one of the
Eight Gates of Seoul
which was formerly located within the district. Seodaemun is home to
Seodaemun Independence Park
, which contains several historic monuments and buildings such as the
Seodaemun Prison
museum and the
Independence Gate
.
Moon Seok-Jin (문석진) of the
Democratic Party
has been the mayor of Seodaemun since July 2010.
Administrative divisions
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]
Administrative divisions
Seodaemun District consists of 14 "administrative dong"s (
haengjeong-dong
行政洞).
Infrastructure
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- Total length of roads: 308 km
- Pavement area: 2,641 km
- Waterworks system: 589 km
- Sewerage system: 396 km
Government and infrastructure
[
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]
At one time the
Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal
(KMST) had its headquarters in the district.
[2]
Education
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]
Seobu District Office of Education under the
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education
operates public schools in Seodaemun District.
[3]
- Hansung Science High School
- 279?79, Tongil-ro (
Hyeonjeo-dong
)
- Hongeun Middle School - 94, Yeonhui-ro 41-gil (
Hongeun 2-dong
)
- Inwang Middle School - 69, Segeomjeong-ro 4-gil (
Hongje-dong
)
- Seoyun Middle School - 9?6, Yeonhui-ro 11ma-gil (
Yeonhui-dong
)
- Sinyeon Middle School - 408, Moraenae-ro (
Yeonhui-dong
)
- Yeonbuk Middle School - 32, Yeonhui-ro 36-gil (
Yeonhui-dong
)
- Yonhi Middle School - 170, Jeungga-ro (
Namgajwa-dong
)
- Ansan Elementary School - 321, Tongil-ro (
Hongje-dong
)
- Bukgajwa Elementary School - 20, Geobukgol-ro 19-gil (
Bukgajwa-dong
)
- Buksung Elementary School - 84, Bugahyeon-ro 5na-gil (
Bugahyeon-dong
)
- Changsea Elementary School - 30?3, Yonsei-ro 5na-gil (
Changcheon-dong
)
- Daesin Elementary School - 27, Ewhayeodae 2-gil (
Daesin-dong
)
- Geumhwa Elementary School - 165, Tongil-ro (
Cheonyeon-dong
)
- Goeun Elementary School - 441, Moraenae-ro (
Hongje-dong
)
- Hongeun Elementary School - 105, Segeomjeong-ro (
Hongje-dong
)
- Hongje Elementary School - 13, Hongeunjungang-ro (
Hongeun-dong
)
- Hongyeon Elementary School - 55, Baekryeonsa-gil (
Hongeun-dong
)
- Inwang Elementary School - 33?9, Semuseo-gil (
Hongje-dong
)
- Midong Elementary School - 52, Chungjeong-ro (
Migeun-dong
)
- Yeonga Elementary School - 49?50, Jeungga-ro 12ga-gil (
Namgajwa-dong
)
- Yeonhui Elementary School - 136, Yeonhui-ro (
Yeonhui-dong
)
There are also numerous private institutions in Seodaemun District offering education for primary and secondary levels.
Private primary and secondary schools:
Private institutions offering higher education in Seodaemun District are
Chugye University for the Arts
,
Ewha Womans University
,
Kyonggi University
, Methodist Theological University, Myongji College,
Myongji University
,
Seoul School of Integrated Sciences & Technologies
, Seoul Women's College of Nursing, and
Yonsei University
.
Seodaemun District also has a public library called Lee Jin Ah Memorial Library. The construction of the library was made possible through a generous donation by the parents of the namesake Lee. Lee's Parents, after losing Lee in a tragic lethal accident, wanted to commemorate the life of their daughter who enjoyed reading.
[5]
Since the opening on Lee's anniversary in 2005, the main library now has approximately over 76,000 books.
[6]
Facilities
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]
- Public Institutions - total 84 (1 Seodaemun-gu Office, 21 Dong offices, 1 Korean National Police Agency, 1 police station, 16 police boxes, 4 fire stations, 10 post offices, 30 others)
- Schools - total 46 (8 universities, 6 high schools, 12 middle schools, 18 elementary schools, 2 foreign schools)
- Medical Facilities- total 402 (2 General Hospitals, 317 hospitals and clinics including dental clinics, 83 oriental clinics)
- Official Cultural Assets: total 32 (1
national treasure
, 10 treasures, 6 historic sites, 4 important intangible cultural properties, 3 folklore materials, 8 tangible and intangible cultural properties
- Welfare facilities: total 308 (3 social welfare centers, 173 childcare centers, 86 facilities for the aged, 36 others including study rooms)
Government and infrastructure
[
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The
Korean National Police Agency
has its headquarters in
Migeun-dong
, Seodaemun District.
[7]
Attractions
[
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]
The district covers 17.6 square kilometers, approximately 2.9% of the total area of
Seoul
. Seodaemun District is populated by middle and upper-income families.
[
citation needed
]
Seodaemun District incorporates residential areas and historical areas including
Bongwon Temple
, Sinchon Railway Station (the oldest train station in Seoul) and
Seodaemun Prison History Hall
. Also it has a historic culture site "Seodaemun Independence Park." This place located at Dongnimmun station, includes a 3.1 independence memorial statue,
Independence Gate
and more. This educational park is a major tourist attraction of Seodaemun District. Seodaemun District is a Rest Place together with nature surrounded by Mt. Ansan, Mt. Baengnyeonsan and Hongjecheon stream in the city. Also known as Mt. Muaksan, Mt. Ansan has many steep slopes, but because it has an altitude of only 295.5m, it is a favorite hiking trail among locals. There are about ten climbing courses. At the summit, there is Ansan Beacon Mound, with views of Mt.
Bukhansan
, Mt.
Inwangsan
, Haegjusanseong Fortress and
Hangang
River. Mt. Ansan is a highly popular tourist attraction of Seodaemun District. Also, on the Mt. Ansan path, the
Seodaemun Museum of Natural History
, built by the local governing body, exhibits various geological and biological relics and records. Named after Hongjewon, which was where Chinese envoys were greet and entertained, Hongjecheon Stream was where the women who were forcefully taken to the
Qing Dynasty
cleansed their bodies upon returning home. The once dried stream was restored and today there is a musical fountain, a water mill, a man-made waterfall and hiking trails.
There are shopping streets for the young, "Walking street" in Sinchon and "Fashion street" near Ewha Womans University.
[8]
The area has a 66m
2
store of Korean
cosmetics
brand
Skin Food
, which has been opened since June 2004 in
Changcheon-dong
and it also sells
Traditional Korean medicine
or hanbang.
[9]
Sister cities
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Notable people from Seodaemun District
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]
- Kim Jae-kyung
(
Hangul
: 金在庚), singer, dancer, model, actress and
K-pop idol
, leader and member of
K-pop
girlgroup
Rainbow
and its sub-unit
Rainbow Blaxx
- Yoon Seok-youl
, South Korean lawyer, prosecutor, former
Prosecutor General of South Korea
, and current
President of South Korea
.
- Kim Tae-won
, South Korean
rock musician
, leader and member of
K-rock
band
Boohwal
- Bobby
, born Kim Ji-win, South Korean rapper and member of K-pop group
IKon
.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Korean Statistical Information Service (Korean) > Population and Household > Census Result (2010) > Population by Administrative district, Sex and Age / Alien by Administrative district and Sex
Archived
2013-08-26 at the
Wayback Machine
, Retrieved 2010-06-02.
- ^
"
Location
." (
Archive
)
Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal
. February 9, 2005. Retrieved on January 1, 2014. "139 Chungjeong-No 3, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 120-715, Republic of Korea"
- ^
"Educational Institutionas in District"
. Archived from
the original
on 2015-06-21
. Retrieved
2012-04-06
.
- ^
"
Overseas Chinese High School Seoul,KOREA
." International School Information, Government of South Korea. Retrieved on March 30, 2016. "176 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-110, Korea"
- ^
"Overview"
. Archived from
the original
on 2011-07-28
. Retrieved
2012-04-06
.
- ^
"Materials"
. Archived from
the original
on 2013-07-28
. Retrieved
2012-04-06
.
- ^
Home page
.
Korean National Police Agency
. Retrieved on April 30, 2010. "Korean National Police Agency, Uiju-ro 91 (Migeun-dong 209) Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-704."
- ^
"서대문구 (Seodaemun-gu 西大門區)"
(in Korean).
Doosan Encyclopedia
. Retrieved
2008-04-18
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"Destinations by Region>Seoul>Seodaemun-gu>Skin Food"
.
Korea Tourism Organization
. Retrieved
8 October
2012
.
External links
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]