TRANSFORMATION OF PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS

[Anchor Lead]

From next year, pedestrians will be able to walk from the Namdaemun area in Seoul all the way to Seoul Station using an overpass. The rooftop of the old Seoul station building will also be turned into a garden where citizens can stop by and take refuge.

[Pkg]

This is a pedestrian overpass in the heart of downtown Seoul. People can take a stroll, sit down and rest. It provides a much needed escape from the fast-paced city life. The overpass connects Seoul Station, Namdaemun and the Hanyang Fortress. Currently, in order to reach Seoul Station, people have to take the elevator to the ground level and cross over Seoul Plaza.

[Soundbite] KIM YE-SEUL(SEOUL CITIZEN) : "Getting off from Seoul Station or a bus stop, I had to go through many crosswalks and elevators. It wasn't easy to come here."

To ease this inconvenience, a new overpass will be built that will directly lead to Seoul Station's passenger waiting area. The existing overpass will be connected to the rooftop of the former Seoul station building which is now used as a parking lot. The 40-meter long, 6-meter wide new passageway will be installed by the end of next year. The rooftop area will also be turned into a 23-hundred square meter garden that will be open to the public.

[Soundbite] LEE DONG-IL(SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOV'T) : "The rooftop was not being utilized for public interest so we decided to link it with Seoullo 7017 so the two facilities can be mutually beneficial."

A vehicle access road that's been left neglected for over 20 years after Seoul Station was newly constructed will also be transformed into a cultural exhibition space. The Seoul city government will push for more plans to expand areas for pedestrians while making vehicle entry into the city center more difficult.