Seoul has completed a series of upgrades at World Cup Park, adding new walking trails, gardens, rest areas, and scenic viewpoints as part of a project aimed at strengthening the park’s appeal as a major outdoor leisure destination in the city’s northwest.

The improvements focus on Sky Park and Noeul Park, two of the park’s best-known areas, with city officials aiming to create a more connected space for walking, running, sightseeing, and relaxation.

One of the main additions is a newly opened 1-kilometer Metasequoia Trail in Noeul Park, which will open to the public on May 22. Combined with the existing Metasequoia Trail in Sky Park, the connected route now stretches a total of 2.3 kilometers.

The new trail includes deck walkways at entry points and shaded rest areas with benches throughout the route, offering visitors a new walking course lined with tall trees.

A south-side Z-shaped staircase added to Sky Park last year has also improved access between Nanji Hangang Park, Noeul Park, and Sky Park, helping ease congestion during busy seasonal events such as the annual silver grass festival.

Seoul has also added gardens and rest spaces along major walking routes linking the two parks.

Ten garden areas have been created along key pathways, with four dedicated rest zones for runners and walkers. Seasonal plants including hydrangeas, plum blossoms, and ornamental grasses have been added to create flower-lined walking routes.

In less-used sections of Noeul Park, artistic pavement painting has also been introduced to brighten pathways and improve navigation.

The city has also expanded scenic viewing areas throughout the parks.

Four new or renovated lookout points have been added at the upper sections of Sky Park and Noeul Park, along with two new mid-level rest spaces created by reopening parts of previously closed road sections.

From Sky Park, visitors can view landmarks including World Cup Bridge, Seongsan Bridge, Seonyudo, and Yeouido along the Han River skyline. Noeul Park offers panoramic views of the Han River and southwestern Seoul.

Seoul is also carrying out landscape restoration on the southern slopes of the park by removing invasive plant species and planting flowering and autumn foliage trees, including cherry trees, fringe trees, maples, and azaleas.

Work on the Sky Park slope section is expected to be completed in June, while improvements in Noeul Park will continue through the second half of the year.

World Cup Park, built on the restored Nanjido landfill site, includes Peace Park, Sky Park, Noeul Park, and Nanji Stream Park, and has become one of Seoul’s best-known ecological park complexes.

USAG Yongsan

Camp Casey