Seoul to transform Noryangjin fish market into new economic hub

A bird’s-eye view of the development of the former Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market at the southern end of the Hangang Railroad Bridge. [Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday unveiled a plan to transform the site of the former Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Dongjak District in Seoul into a new economic hub connecting Yeouido and Yongsan.

The plan was approved during a 12th meeting of the city government’s joint committee on urban planning and architectural affairs, which includes transforming the underdeveloped area adjacent to Noryangjin Station, including the former Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market, into a waterfront complex connecting Yeouido and Yongsan.

Under the plan, the city government will ease the height restrictions in the Noryangjin Station Special Plan Area to facilitate its development as an economic hub.

The targeted area is approximately 171,829 square meters and is located near the Han River and Yeouido, the financial district in Seoul. The site includes the former Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market, the waterworks materials management center, and Noryangjin Station.

The site of the former fish market was criticized for its poor accessibility due to the Gyeongbu Line railway and the Olympic Expressway crossing it. After the fish market was relocated, the site has been used as a soccer field, prompting calls for active management of the site.

The distance from the targeted area to Yeouido is about 300 meters in a straight line, but cannot be reached on foot, requiring a drive of more than 3 kilometers.

To address this accessibility issue, the Seoul government will create a new road connecting the targeted area directly to Yeouido and Han River Park.

“With the new road, the travel distance from Noryangjin Station to Yeouido will be shortened to about 650 meters,” said an official from the city government. “It will be possible to walk from Noryangjin Station to Han River Park within about eight minutes.”

According to the city government, the sites of the former fish market, the waterworks materials management center, and Noryangjin Station will be designated as special planning areas.

The former fish market site, currently owned by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, will be selected as a site for prior negotiation, where private and public sectors will discuss establishing new infrastructure, such as the Yeouido connection road.

The land-use designation will be upgraded to general commercial area. Seoul aims to encourage high-density development with mixed functions such as international-level businesses and urban-type residences, in connection with Yeouido and Yeongdeungpo Districts.

The infrastructure on the publicly owned waterworks materials management center site will undergo underground development. On the ground level, the land-use designation will be upgraded to a mixed-use zone, combining commercial and residential functions.

The Noryangjin Station area has faced limitations in land utilization due to its location above the ground-level railway. To address this issue, the city government plans to create artificial foundations to enable seamless connections to neighboring sites on foot.

The government also plans to prepare concrete plans for public contributions to the former fish market site to expedite private sector development.