Seoul Station Plaza to Become Alcohol-Free Zone Nov. 9; KRW 50,000 Fine Starting in March

Pursuing Simultaneous Designation with Yongsan-gu

Seoul's Jung-gu District, headed by Kim Gilseong, will designate the area around Seoul Station Plaza as an alcohol-free zone starting November 9, 2026.

According to the district on October 12, it will issue a public notice and gather residents' opinions through November 8, ahead of the designation. An awareness campaign will run through February 28, 2027, and from March 1, anyone caught drinking in the alcohol-free zone will be fined KRW 50,000.

Map showing the designated alcohol-free zone at Seoul Station Plaza. Provided by Jung-gu.

The designated area covers 13,283 square meters of Seoul Station Plaza and outdoor spaces around Seoul Station. Indoor facilities, including restaurants in the plaza, as well as Seoul-ro 7017, the underground passage at Seoul Station, and subway station entrances are excluded.

Seoul Station Plaza is served by the Gyeongbu Line, Honam Line, KTX, Subway Lines 1 and 4, and the Airport Railroad, among other services, and is used by many people, including foreign tourists. The district said visitors have felt anxious and faced difficulties getting around because of drinking and loud disturbances that continue from early in the day.

In a survey of 1,238 people who use the plaza, 96.4% of respondents supported designating it as an alcohol-free zone. The district said the results showed strong public support.

Seoul Station Plaza straddles the administrative boundary with Yongsan-gu. To make enforcement more effective, Jung-gu has been consulting with Yongsan-gu, and the two districts are pursuing a plan to designate the areas under their respective jurisdictions as alcohol-free zones at the same time. During the awareness campaign, Jung-gu plans to conduct intensive outreach and guidance in cooperation with Yongsan-gu, Korea Railroad Corporation, and the police.

District Mayor Kim Gilseong said, "Seoul Station Plaza is the first face of the capital, Seoul, that many residents and tourists from around the world encounter. By working with relevant organizations to manage the alcohol-free zone systematically, we will prevent the social problems caused by drinking and transform it into a 'plaza for everyone' where anyone can walk with peace of mind."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.