Living with the Seoul City Wall, the Historic Landmark

The old fortification that has protected the capital city is now revived in the truest sense of the word, by the city and its constituents.

What do the ancient walls of Hanyang, the old name of Seoul, mean to the people of modern Seoul? Primarily, the walls are an invaluable cultural heritage and tourist attraction. On the other hand, they are a border fraught with tension between those who wish to preserve its history and those who wish to modernize the city. In modern Seoul, where the height of buildings is an indication of growth and prosperity, new buildings tower above the remaining old buildings resting their shoulders against the city walls. The areas around these aged walls has now become battleground where the obsession for growth clashes with the belated commitment to preserving history. The battle presents us with this question: Can we go beyond marketing our cultural heritage only for profit and create a climate favorable to both capitalism and history? When we contemplate this question and attempt to find an answer, Seoul will see a door open to a better tomorrow. — Introduction