Latest news with #SeoulMetropolitanGovernment
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
BLACKPINK's Jennie becomes Seoul's honorary Ambassador for 2025
Jennie's Perfect Seoul Connection From K-pop Princess to City Ambassador: Jennie 's Perfect Seoul Connection When a K-pop superstar gets appointed as the face of South Korea's capital city, you know something spectacular is about to happen! BLACKPINK's Jennie has officially been named Seoul's honorary tourism ambassador for 2025, and honestly, we can't think of a more perfect match. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Foundation made the exciting announcement on July 29th, revealing that Jennie would be leading their ambitious "Absolutely in Seoul" campaign. But this isn't just a random celebrity endorsement - Jennie has consistently expressed her deep emotional connection to Seoul, often calling it "a city of inspiration" and stating that "Seoul's sensibility is my style". This emotional bond runs much deeper than typical celebrity partnerships. The global superstar has frequently showcased her love for Seoul through her music, most notably with her song "Seoul City" from her debut solo album "Ruby," which she composed and wrote herself as a heartfelt tribute to the capital. Breaking New Ground: The "Absolutely in Seoul" Campaign Revolution The campaign, launching with a teaser on July 31st, features two main promotional videos that showcase Seoul's diverse attractions through Jennie's unique perspective. The first video, titled "DALTOKKI" (meaning "moon rabbit" in Korean), presents a short film format where Jennie explores iconic Seoul locations including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Nodeul Island, and the trendy Seongsu-dong neighborhood. The second video cleverly incorporates Jennie's own "Seoul City" track from her Ruby album, creating what organizers describe as a "unique synergy between Jennie and Seoul". In a culturally significant move, Jennie wears traditional Korean craft-inspired clothing, specifically a dress featuring "duseok" decorative techniques that modernly interpret Korean beauty. This campaign represents a significant investment in Seoul's tourism promotion, with videos set to be broadcast on digital billboards and television channels worldwide, including major markets in the United States and Australia. The Cultural Impact: Why This Partnership Matters for Tourism Industry analysts suggest this collaboration could significantly boost Seoul's international tourism appeal, particularly among younger demographics who follow K-pop culture. Seoul Tourism Organization officials expressed ambitious goals, stating they aim to "highlight Seoul's diverse charms globally and significantly contribute toward achieving our goal of attracting over 30 million international visitors". The timing couldn't be better, considering Jennie's recent global achievements. She made history as the first solo K-pop artist to perform on Coachella's major Outdoor Theatre stage in April 2025. What makes this partnership particularly authentic is Jennie's genuine personal connection to Seoul's culture and lifestyle. In previous interviews, she has shared her favorite Seoul experiences, including walks around N Seoul Tower, late-night shopping at Dongdaemun Market, and exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace in traditional hanbok clothing.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- General
- Korea Herald
Seoul to take down 59-year-old Seosomun Overpass next month
The Seosomun Overpass, once a driveway passing through the heart of Seoul, is slated for demolition over safety concerns. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Tuesday that it is scheduled to remove the flyover, located in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, by gradually closing its roads starting from Aug. 17. According to the city government, one lane of the overpass connecting the City Hall and Chungjeongno Station of Line No. 2 will initially be closed. The opposite lane westward will subsequently be closed a week later on Aug. 24. The overpass will be completely shut down on Sept. 21. The city government added that construction of a new overpass will begin immediately after the original is demolished. The construction is scheduled to kick off in May 2026 and is expected to take approximately 20 months. The 335-meter-long and 14.9-meter-wide road was used by more than 40,000 vehicles daily. The city government determined that flyover demolition was necessary as maintenance efforts were no longer effective and public safety could not be guaranteed. The Seosomun Overpass had multiple issues over the years, including concrete spalling and rebar corrosion in 2019, floor slab spalling in 2021, and concrete and reinforcing wire damage in the beams in 2024, due to overall concrete strength degradation. 'The city has continuously worked on safety management by installing concrete falling prevention nets, repairing piers and restricting heavy vehicle traffic. But we determined that simple reinforcement measures were insufficient. Thus, the decision was made to take down the overpass,' the city government official said in a press release Tuesday. With an estimated 10-month demolition period, the Seoul Metropolitan Government expects to complete the demolition process by May next year. The city government asked for the public's understanding as the traffic lanes are reduced from August to September. Though the new bus routes have not been decided, the city government is attempting to turn 20 Incheon and Gyeonggi Province-based buses back before entering the city's central area. And 23 Seoul buses are set to take a detour by driving toward nearby roads like Chungjeong-ro and Tongil-ro. Drivers are asked to avoid using Seosomun-ro — the ground-level road beneath Seosomun Overpass — and take other routes, such as Sajik-ro, Saemunan-ro or Saejong-daero, as the street is expected to be congested with heavy traffic due to the reduced lanes. Notifications will be made via the official website of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, on-site banners, posters, electronic traffic signs and social media channels.
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
As Asia modernises, squat toilets are being dethroned
Across many parts of Asia , squat toilets are being phased out, particularly in urban areas and public facilities, as comfort and convenience increasingly emerge as overriding considerations. But even so, many places in the region still stick to the traditional squat toilets, preferring them over the modern equivalents, resisting what some describe as globalisation and modernity. On Wednesday, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon pledged to replace some 1,200 squat toilets inside the subway station restrooms of South Korea 's capital with Western-style sitting toilets by 2028. The announcement was made during Oh's visit to the men's public restroom inside Jamsil Station in Songpa district, southern Seoul, in response to frequent public complaints. Noting that of the six stalls, two had squat toilets, he said, as quoted by the Korea JoongAng Daily: 'People no longer prefer to use squat toilets. The younger generation have especially been saying that they're uncomfortable to use. We'll make sure to get rid of every one of them in Seoul.' According to Seoul Metropolitan Government data, squat toilets currently make up about 33 per cent of the total 3,647 toilets in subway station restrooms.
Korea Herald
23-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Seoul implements country's first AI 119 emergency service
Artificial intelligence is set to play a role in streamlining Seoul's emergency report systems in the event of large-scale disasters such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes or wildfires, Seoul's municipal government said Wednesday. Seoul's new 119 emergency system, applied during call surges, is South Korea's first AI-based emergency service. It has been under pilot operation since March. The Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that the AI emergency call system boosts efficiency when handling a sudden surge in emergency call numbers, namely, when call traffic exceeds what the system can handle. The new AI emergency service is designed to simultaneously manage 240 emergency calls, enabling faster initial response and increasing chances to secure critical time for those in urgent situations. 'The AI responder collects details about the type and location of the incident in real time. After reviewing the report, it forwards more urgent cases to human operators. When similar emergency calls come from the same area, the system also analyzes the risk of additional emergencies,' the city government official said in a press release Tuesday. Given the importance of emergency reports, the city government initially implemented a dual-monitoring system with human staff ensuring the accuracy of AI responses in real time. The AI-powered system can also receive multiple emergency reports simultaneously, categorize different cases, and prioritize specific reports that require urgent response or immediate measures from the human operators at the Seoul Emergency Operation Centers. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to expand the original system to include an AI-based network that comprehensively monitors daily disasters, including road flooding and drainage problems, by the second half of 2026. The city government also has its eyes set on AI systems for general administrative services, developing them from basic automation to abilities for decision-making and customer response. 'As AI has become a tool for protecting lives, it is essential to ensure both technological reliability and public trust. Seoul will continue to build a balanced institutional foundation and a public AI ecosystem to ensure that AI technologies operate safely for the people,' the city government official added.
Korea Herald
23-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Seoul implements country's first AI-based 119 emergency service for initial response
Artificial intelligence is set to play a role in streamlining Seoul's emergency report systems in the event of large-scale disasters such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes or wildfires, Seoul's municipal government said Wednesday. Seoul's new 119 emergency system, applied during call surges, is South Korea's first AI-based emergency service. It has been under pilot operation since March. The Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that the AI emergency call system boosts efficiency when handling a sudden surge in emergency call numbers, expanding the original capacity. The city's 119 emergency system operates a total of 720 telephone lines, and the automated response systems are triggered when call traffic exceeds what the system is able to handle. The new AI emergency service is designed to simultaneously manage 240 emergency calls, enabling faster initial response and increasing chances to secure critical time for those in urgent situations. 'The AI responder collects details about the type and location of the incident in real time. After reviewing the report, it forwards more urgent cases to human operators. When similar emergency calls come from the same area, the system also analyzes the risk of additional emergencies,' the city government official said in a press release on Tuesday. Given the importance of emergency reports, the city government initially implemented a dual-monitoring system with human staff ensuring the accuracy of AI responses in real time. The AI-powered system can also receive multiple emergency reports simultaneously, categorize different cases, and prioritize specific reports that require urgent response or immediate measures from the human operators at the Seoul Emergency Operation Centers. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to expand on the original system to include an AI-based network that comprehensively monitors daily disasters, including road flooding and drainage problems, by the second half of 2026. The city government also has its eyes set on AI systems for general administrative services, developing them from basic automation to abilities for decision-making and customer response. 'As AI has become a tool for protecting lives, it is essential to ensure both technological reliability and public trust. Seoul will continue to build a balanced institutional foundation and a public AI ecosystem to ensure that AI technologies operate safely for the people,' the city government official added.
