Gimpo, a city in Gyeonggi Province bordering the Han River's northern reaches, will tear down military security fences along the riverbank that have blocked public access for 54 years since their installation in 1972.
The city announced Wednesday that it signed a revised memorandum of agreement with Army Unit 2291 to remove fences along the Han River from Singok Submerged Weir to the southern end of Ilsan Bridge. The agreement expands the demolition scope beyond the Baengmado (Gimpo Bridge) section, where removal was agreed upon in October last year.
The section in question had seen its redevelopment stalled for roughly 20 years after an initial agreement in 2008. At the time, surveillance equipment Gimpo had offered to provide failed to meet the military's required performance standards. Subsequent litigation dragged on for years with no progress.
A breakthrough came recently as the military established a new border surveillance system reflecting changes in its operational environment and advances in equipment capability. Both sides developed a practical alternative to replace the existing equipment and completed an operational review.
Gimpo plans to create site conditions in phases, targeting public access in the first half of next year. The area is adjacent to large-scale residential complexes, generating high demand for public use. It is also linked to Han River waterfront development projects and is considered a key axis for future riverside space utilization.
"The project that had been stalled for nearly 20 years since the first agreement in 2008 is finally moving again," Gimpo Mayor Kim Byung-soo said. "We will return the Han River banks, blocked for 54 years, to citizens' daily lives as soon as possible."
Gimpo also plans to pursue administrative procedures, including changes to district designations under the Han River Basic Plan, to establish an institutional foundation for creating waterfront recreational spaces.
