Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivered his New Year’s address Tuesday, the last day of 2024, outlining his administration’s achievements in the last year as well as ambitious goals for 2025. The mayor emphasized his vision of transforming crises into opportunities and building a more livable, globally admired city, while stressing deregulation as the key to revitalizing Seoul’s economy and society. In his speech, Oh reflected on how Seoul has weathered various crises and positioned itself as a resilie

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, regarded as a likely presidential contender from the conservative bloc, said he was contemplating his next political steps amid the nation's ongoing political turmoil, while stressing that he feels obligated to complete his four-year mayoral term. “I feel the responsibility to complete my term as Seoul mayor. On the other hand, there are calls for me to use my abilities for the greater good of the nation on a larger scale. These two great responsibilities are in conflict

The iconic seasonal ice skating rink at Seoul Plaza is set to reopen Friday and operate until Feb. 9 next year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. The city government has opened an ice rink every winter since 2004, except during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rink operates every day -- 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from Sunday to Friday with hours extended until 11 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays. The entrance fee has remained unchanged at 1,000 won (70 cents) for 20 years, covering skate rental,

Amid growing concerns over escalating political and social turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of emergency martial law last week, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Wednesday that "Seoul is safe" and urged tourists to return, vowing to undertake efforts to ensure the safety of travelers. In a meeting held by Oh at Seoul City Hall, the mayor spoke with key stakeholders in the tourism sector, including representatives from the Seoul Tourism Organization, Korea As

With over 500 attendees, Seoul Library’s festival honors Han Kang through jazz, literature, seminars On Tuesday afternoon, the typically tranquil atmosphere of the Seoul Metropolitan Library was transformed into an exuberant celebration. The library’s quiet reading rooms came alive with jazz music a

Seoul faces the same controversy every Christmas: Should the Christmas tree at Seoul Plaza have a Christian cross at the top? The debate has resurfaced once again this year. The 19-meter tree, adorned with an illuminating cross, red ribbons and gift-shaped ornaments, will remain illuminated until Dec. 31, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. On Nov. 18, the lighting ceremony for the Christmas tree took place at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall. The event was attended by key figures i

The Seoul city government will spend 6.7 trillion won ($4.9 billion) from 2025 to 2026 to financially help residents raise children, city officials said Tuesday. The city government said it was expanding an existing childbirth encouragement project launched in February as part of efforts to increase the country's low birth rate. The earlier version of the project took a comprehensive approach to supporting caregivers by providing financial assistance for infertility treatments across all in

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced its plan on Wednesday to convert 68 kilometers -- or 94 percent -- of the city’s above-ground railway network into an underground network. The space for ground railways as well as station buildings will be turned into parks, and commercial and cultural facilities. Currently, Seoul has 71.6 kilometers of above-ground railway across six lines, running through 15 out of 25 districts. The conversion includes 34.7 kilometers of the Gyeongbu Line and 3

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday released a comprehensive plan to support a growing number of Seoul residents struggling with loneliness and social isolation. The initiative, called “Loneliness-Free Seoul,” aims to intervene early to tackle loneliness at its root and prevent people from dying alone, known as “lonely deaths,” which have been rapidly increasing in the city. Over the next five years, the city plans to invest a total of 451.3 billion won ($326 mill

Songpa-gu, designated a Special Tourist Zone, hosts series of Korean cultural experience programs At a cooking studio in Garak Mall in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, laughter mixed with various languages could be heard as the smell of Korean food lingered in the air. The studio buzzed with dozens of ama

Various projects driven by the Seoul city government, such as the foreign caregiver scheme involving 100 Filipina workers and the Hangang River Bus, came under fire during a parliamentary audit on Tuesday. Mayor Oh Se-hoon also denied allegations that controversial pollster Myeong Tae-gyun was involved in a mayoral election he won in 2021. In response to questions from Rep. Cho Seung-hwan of the ruling People Power Party regarding Seoul's foreign caregiver pilot program, Oh argued the progr

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon called for a paradigm shift in South Korean immigration policy, highlighting the importance of adopting more inclusive visa policies to tackle demographic challenges. "With a total fertility rate of just 0.7 and the elder population set to surpass 20 percent next year, the potential workforce crisis looms large," said Oh at the Foreign Residents and Migration Policy Forum hosted by the city government. Inclusive visa policies can help keep diverse international r

Seoul has received an award from the World Health Organization for its policies dedicated to improving the management of senior health in the city, the city government said Thursday. Presented at the 10th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul from Wednesday to Friday, the Healthy Cities Recognition Award for Age-Friendly Cities highlights Seoul's commitment to promoting the health and well-being of its aging population, according to city of

In the wake of two caregivers from the Philippines abruptly disappearing just two weeks into Seoul's foreign caregiver pilot program, officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor convened a meeting in Seoul Tuesday to address operational challenges faced by the caregivers. Among the issues the meeting participants highlighted were lengthy commutes between assignments and a heavy workload associated with caring for multiple children. The meeting i

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is mulling removing an elevated walkway at Sewoon Shopping Center in central Seoul, which cost the city government 110 billion won ($82 million) for its construction. The walkway which opened only two years ago has sparked "public discontent," said the city government, citing issues like inadequate sunlight underneath the walkways and problems such as water leaks. By removing the walkway, the city plans to enhance the ground-level pedestrian pathways.