Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge

Character

Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge is 1,446 meters long because its designers treated the crossing as a destination in its own right. The circular route turns the Geumgang into a full looped promenade, while the distance refers to the 1446 promulgation of Hunminjeongeum

That choice changes the role of the bridge. The upper level is a pedestrian space with rest areas, event space and recreational features, while the lower level carries bicycles on a separate route. The bridge links the city-hall side of the river with the Central Park and National Arboretum side, but it also asks people to spend time above the water rather than simply pass over it

The experience

A complete circuit is about 1.45 kilometers, so the bridge feels closer to a riverside walk than a short piece of transport infrastructure. The circular plan keeps the river in view from changing angles, with Sejong's planned civic district, open parkland and the Geumgang repeatedly shifting position around you

The upper deck is the main walking experience. Seating and activity areas break up the circuit, and the broad structure leaves enough room for people to pause without turning the whole route into a bottleneck. After sunset, architectural lighting gives the circle a much stronger presence in the surrounding river landscape

Cyclists use the lower level, where the dedicated lane allows a continuous circuit separated from pedestrian traffic. The two levels make the same structure work differently depending on whether the visit is a walk, a ride or a practical connection between the riverbanks

History

The bridge was planned during Sejong's rapid build-out as a purpose-made landmark for the new administrative city. In 2017, the Multifunctional Administrative City Construction Agency presented a circular scheme with a main diameter of about 460 meters and a total pedestrian route of 1,446 meters. The number was chosen to refer to 1446, the year associated with the promulgation of Hunminjeongeum

The circle also related to the ring-like structure of the planned city, while the project brief treated the deck as public space rather than a bare crossing. Contemporary plans included resting, viewing and event functions, and the final design separated the upper pedestrian route from the lower bicycle route

Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge opened to the public on March 24, 2022. Its everyday name, Ieungdari, draws on the bridge's resemblance to the Korean consonant ㅇ. The bridge quickly became one of the most recognizable pieces of Sejong's young civic landscape, joining the lake park, Central Park and National Arboretum in the city's central public-space network

Before you go

Choose your time budget before you enter. Using the bridge to reach the opposite bank is a different visit from walking the full 1,446-meter circuit; if the bridge itself is the destination, allow enough time for the complete loop and for stops along the upper deck

The two levels serve different users. Walkers belong on the upper deck and cyclists on the lower route, so choose the level that matches the trip rather than treating the bridge as one shared path